The lack of rain, rising temperatures and the absence of public policies to implement or improve irrigation techniques are already taking their toll on the production of basic grains such as corn, wheat, and beans.
For the fall-winter cycle, whose planting began last month, a 50 percent reduction in the harvest is estimated for Sinaloa, the main corn-producing state, anticipated the Agricultural Markets Consulting Group (GCMA).
According to its estimates, from an average harvest of 5.5 million tons of corn per year under normal weather conditions, this year’s harvest will be between 2 and 2.5 million tons.
In the case of Sonora, corn production would go from an average of 500,000 tons to a maximum of 100,000 tons this cycle.
Harvests dropped 50% due to lack of rain and absence of public policies.
“The intense drought, which has reduced water catchment levels in the dams of the states of Sinaloa, Sonora, and Tamaulipas to 29, 40 and 18 percent of their storage capacity, respectively, would lower planting expectations for the Autumn-Winter 2023-2024 cycle and aggravate the economic crisis for farmers, due to the lack of resources for planting and financing, as well as the elimination of catastrophic insurance for natural disasters,” GCMA detailed in an analysis.
In the case of beans, crops have withstood up to 30 percent less rainfall with good yields in Durango, Chihuahua, and Zacatecas, but U.S. bean imports continue to increase.
TYT Newsroom
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