Mexico to Support Farmers Through Fair Trade Program in 2026

In 2026, the Mexican government will provide support to producers in highly marginalized regions through the Fair Trade program. The initiative focuses on strategic grains such as rice, bread wheat, and corn. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER) has implemented the new operating rules of the program, in force as of Jan. 1, 2026. The scheme seeks to strengthen the income of small and medium-sized farmers through guaranteed prices and direct economic incentives tied to the sale of their products, primarily white corn, bread wheat, paddy rice, beans, coffee, cocoa, honey, and vegetables (onion, tomato, and chili), in relation to production costs.

The document acknowledges that agricultural producers in Mexico face multiple challenges, including a lack of infrastructure and technology, low prices, dependence on intermediaries, limited access to credit, and land abandonment. It highlights commercialization issues which, it notes, significantly affect medium-sized producers, who face barriers to accessing more profitable commercial channels, often due to strict requirements regarding volume, uniform quality, or certifications.

Additionally, SADER emphasized that the lack of adequate infrastructure for collection, storage, and efficient transportation increases workers’ costs. Likewise, their bargaining power is often limited when dealing with large buyers and established intermediaries, resulting in unfavorable prices and reduced profit margins.

“These problems not only reduce farmers’ incomes, but also perpetuate a cycle of rural poverty that limits their ability to improve their living conditions and develop more sustainable agricultural practices,” the document reads.

Published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF), the program was reported to have an initial budget of MX$2.7 billion (US$153.9 million), although this amount may be adjusted depending on operational needs, such as fluctuations in prices of commodities traded on international exchanges, supply and demand dynamics, among other factors.

In the case of rice, small producers will receive a maximum incentive of MX$9,080/t, while medium-sized producers will receive MX$8,260/t. For bread wheat, guaranteed prices will be MX$7,600/t for small producers and MX$7,050/t for medium-sized producers. For white corn, the support is directed exclusively at medium-sized producers wishing to commercialize up to a maximum of 250t. A financial instrument will be used to ensure competitive prices amid market volatility.

The initiative also includes other types of incentives focused on infrastructure and commercial linkage, aimed at boosting producers’ competitiveness by strengthening processing, preservation, packaging, and marketing processes. Participants must be organized under associative structures, with special priority given to groups of women, rural youth, and Indigenous communities.

For corn, support of up to MX$10 million will be granted to groups of at least 250 producers; for honey, support will be up to MX$1.5 million for groups of at least 20 producers; for coffee, support will be up to MX$1.5 million for groups of at least 50 producers; for beans, support will be up to MX$2.5 million for groups of at least 50 producers; finally, for fruits and vegetables, support will be up to MX$2 million for groups of at least 50 producers.

In 2025, the Production for Well-Being program, led by SADER, benefited 2 million small and medium-scale producers of corn, beans, rice, coffee, sugarcane, cocoa, nopal, and honey. The program had an authorized budget of MX$15 billion for the provision of direct support, and in terms of social inclusion, the institutional targets set at the beginning of the year were met, as 36% of the support was delivered to women and 68% was allocated in municipalities with Indigenous populations.

The ministry highlighted that the information generated this year will serve as a technical and administrative foundation for coordination with other strategies and programs, such as the Fair Trade program. “Having an updated and reliable registry will make it possible to access high-quality information that democratizes access to public opportunities and strengthens decision-making in agrifood policy, for which information is an essential input to build well-being,” SADER underscored.