Gruma Expands Support for White Corn Producers

Grupo Maseca (GRUMA) reported progress in its program to support small and medium-sized white corn producers, aligning its efforts with the federal initiative Harvesting Sovereignty, as the company seeks to strengthen domestic agricultural production and secure national supply. By the end of 2025, Gruma said the program had a direct impact on 858 producers across Campeche, Yucatan, Quintana Roo, Chiapas, Veracruz, Morelos, Oaxaca, Tlaxcala, and Hidalgo. The company delivered 1,696 hours of specialized training, aimed at improving yields per hectare and integrating farmers into Gruma’s global supply chain.

The initiative focuses on two technical pillars: sustainable agricultural practices and conservation agriculture. Training covers efficient fertilization, pest and crop residue management, grain quality and the use of manual planting technology.

In the Altiplano region, which includes Morelos, Oaxaca, Tlaxcala, and Hidalgo, Gruma supported 344 producers farming 1,410ha. The company projects yields of 6.5t/ha, equivalent to an estimated 9,345t of corn. These results were supported by 668 hours of training provided by Gruma-certified technicians.

In the southern region, covering Chiapas and Veracruz, 326 producers received 652 hours of technical assistance. Gruma reported that five new suppliers from this region are in the process of being certified to formally join Maseca’s supply base. Projected yields in this region reach 7mt/ha.

In the Yucatan Peninsula, including Campeche, Yucatan, and Quintana Roo, Gruma delivered 376 hours of technical training, benefiting 188 producers. The company said these efforts facilitated coordination among farmers, local suppliers, ejido authorities, and the Ministry of Agriculture (SADER).

Gruma said its objective is to establish a national sourcing model by prioritizing the purchase of corn from producers participating in the program, effectively converting them into local suppliers.

The initiative is linked to the federal Harvesting Sovereignty program, which seeks to raise agricultural productivity and sustainability through accessible credit, agricultural insurance, guaranteed prices and commercialization support. “With these actions, Gruma reaffirms its commitment to the sustainable development of Mexico’s agricultural sector and to food sovereignty,” the company said in a statement.

CNA Formalizes Agreement to Boost Competition in Tortilla Sector

On Monday, the National Antitrust Commission (CNA) published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) the key elements of its ruling in case IEBC-004-2022, formalizing an agreement with GRUMA to remove barriers to competition in the nixtamalized corn flour market used for the commercial production of tortillas.

Under the resolution GRUMA must eliminate all exclusivity and minimum purchase obligations imposed on tortilla shop owners nationwide, as well as the penalties associated with those clauses. The company is also required to transfer, at no cost, tortilla-making machines and mixers linked to those contracts.

CNA Commissioner Andrea Marván said the measures will allow tortilla producers to operate independently from GRUMA, freely choose their corn flour suppliers and reduce costs. The authority estimates that the company holds about a 70% market share and that between 30% and 40% of its clients will be released from exclusive supply agreements.

The ruling concludes a proceeding launched in November 2022 by the former Federal Economic Competition Commission, which found a lack of effective competition in regional corn flour markets. The CNA said compliance with the measures will be monitored for 10 years, while noting that the changes are expected to improve competitive conditions in the tortilla supply chain over the medium and long term.