In the first four months of 2024, grain imports reached 16.5 million metric tons, representing an annual increase of 20.4%. In contrast, domestic production will decrease from 40.4 million tons in 2023 to 37.6 million tons this year.
Our country, far from being self-sufficient in the production of grains and oilseeds, reached a record in imports in the first four months of the year, with an annual increase of 20.4% and a record volume of 16.5 million metric tons.
According to Juan Carlos Anaya, director of the Grupo de Consultores de Mercados Agrícolas (GCMA), this demonstrates that grain imports exceed national production, without achieving self-sufficiency in any case.
He explained that production will decrease from 40.4 million tons in 2023 to 37.6 million tons, which represents ‘the worst drop since 2015.’ This situation is due to drought and the lack of increased productivity, highlighting the absence of programs that promote production, productivity, and profitability.
It is important to mention that grains and oilseeds include corn, wheat, sorghum, soybeans (grain, meal, and oil), rice, beans, canola, oats, barley complex and malt, oils, and cotton complex.
Detailing the situation, he explained that corn imports reached a record volume of 8.3 million metric tons, 22.2% more than in 2023, although their value decreased by 18.7%. Cumulatively, Mexico has imported 118 million metric tons of white corn, mainly from the United States, a country with which there is a controversy over the use of the herbicide glyphosate in corn production, the ban on which has been postponed.
The import record was also reflected in monthly data, as 2.35 million metric tons were imported in April, setting a new monthly historical record, Anaya added.
The production growth during this six-year period (-6.2%) is the lowest since 1994. Corn production fell by 8.1%, beans by 20.5%, rice by 7.9%, and other crops by 2%.
More imports
Regarding wheat, imports increased by 4.2% with a record volume, although their value fell by 20.3%. In April, foreign purchases totaled 8 million tons.
Beans also set a record in imports, with a 169.2% increase in volume and a 192.6% increase in value.
Additionally, soybean oil imports rose by 263% in volume and 135.9% in value.
Anaya highlighted that this year Mexico will surpass China as the largest importer of corn and will become the second-largest global buyer of soybeans. The most imported variety of corn by Mexico is yellow grain corn.
He reiterated that the policy of self-sufficiency and import reduction ‘was a failure.’ Welfare policies did not work, causing problems throughout the country due to falling international prices, the appreciation of the exchange rate, and rising input costs. This is leading producers to a ‘perfect storm’ of profitability loss. An emergency program is needed to support all producers, he indicated.
