Agriculture
From The Report: Mexico 2019
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Since 2013 Mexico has achieved significant agricultural export growth, reversing a trade deficit in agricultural products that almost reached $5bn in 2012. In the years ahead Mexico’s government will continue to support existing agricultural activity while also looking for new ways to address inequality between large-scale mechanised farms and small-scale family-run growers, as well as regional differences in agricultural growth. Agri-business firms in the north have demonstrated their ability to tap into export markets over the past decade, but many companies still require support in the form of irrigation infrastructure, technical assistance and trade agreements. Although President Andrés Manuel López Obrador will have the opportunity to implement these policies before his term in office ends in 2024, federal and state government agencies, alongside private firms, will need to consolidate and boost Mexico’s existing export sectors and help producers attract more international buyers.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Fertile ground: As non-traditional exports and agro-industry drive growth, the government is looking to support small-scale farmers
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Since 2013 Mexico has achieved significant agricultural export growth, reversing a trade deficit in agricultural products that almost reached $5bn in 2012. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Secretaría de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural, SADER), the sector posted a net trade surplus of $5.8bn in 2018, up 10.8% from $5.3bn in 2017. This new chapter of export success has largely been driven by non-traditional, high-value products such as berries and avocados –…

Analysis

Branching out: The success of high-value, export-oriented crops has helped the agriculture industry to expand
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In recent years Mexico has emerged as a successful exporter of non-traditional crops such as avocados, berries and tomatoes. In 2018 during his first term in office, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, better known by his acronym AMLO, made promises to reduce the country’s dependence on grain imports. However, as of mid-2019 the new administration has not introduced any drastic measures such as import controls or market-wide price support for stable products. Instead, AMLO has focused…

Overview

Mexico – Seeking sustainability: Digital and precision farming practices are poised to bolster global agriculture resiliency
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Against a backdrop of increasingly severe and financially straining climate events and natural disasters, technology is poised to play an important role in maintaining and improving global agricultural output. The adoption of digital and precision farming practices has been shown to improve crop resiliency, and boost productivity and incomes, particularly in emerging markets where small-scale farmers are often more vulnerable to climatic impacts. With increasing support from international aid organisations, as well as the public and private sectors, precision farming should help emerging market economies maintain production levels through…