Grain Production Fell 8% in January: The Week in Agribusiness

Among this week’s top stories, the Agricultural Markets Advisory Group (GCMA) reported that in January 2023, basic grain production in Mexico decreased by 8%, while imports grew 27.4%. Meanwhile, Queretaro food exports grew 20.8% in 2022. 

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Grain Production Fell in January 2023; Imports Rose 

According to GCMA, basic grain production of crops such as corn, beans, rice and wheat, among others, decreased 8% in January 2023. On the other hand, imports of these products grew by 27.4%, with value also increasing by 49.5%, reaching unprecedented levels. During this period, Mexico imported a total of 2.9 million tons of basic grains to meet the population’s demand, which represented a 22% increase over the volume bought last year. 

Queretaro Food Exports Grew 21% in 2022

Queretaro’s food exports revenues reached US$342.1 million between January and September 2022, which represented an annual growth of 20.8%. Some of the most popular export products include cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries. Marco Antonio del Prete, Minister of Sustainable Development of Queretaro, pointed out that the state has found an interesting market niche in protected agriculture, as it allows a more efficient use of land resources and delivers good results. “We may not be the largest producer, but we are the most efficient in terms of protected agriculture,” says del Prete. 

Youth: A Key Piece for the Future of Agriculture

In this week’s Expert Contributor article, Javier Valdés, CEO, Syngenta for Latin America, discusses the importance of engaging with younger generations in the agriculture sector, to ensure a viable livelihood and future production. Valdés writes that the answer might be associated with the creation of solid, sustainable, productive and profitable agri-food systems to support people performing this activity and to attract new generations.

“According to Mexico’s 2019 National Agricultural Survey, 89.9 % of farmers in the country were between 40 and 60 years old, 8.1% were adults between 30 and 40 years, and only 2% were young people between the age of 18 and 30 years. Let me repeat this: Only 2% of the people who produce food in Mexico are between 18 and 30 years, and the average age is 56 years old,” writes Valdés.