February 22, 2008

Mexico corn imports soar by 384 percent in January 2008

Mexico's Ministry of Agriculture reported that total corn imports rose by 384 percent in January 2008 against the same period last year.

Some workers' associations in the country expressed that their worst fears were validated, with US imports flooding the Mexican market.

Organizations have requested the government to immediately regulate the influx of US corn.

Rafael Galindo, general secretary of the Independent Farmer's Central (CCI), said this has transpired due to the passive behavior of the Mexican government on the renegotiation of NAFTA¡¯s agricultural chapter.

The Mexican corn crop is made up almost exclusively of white corn with smaller volume of yellow corn. This year, a total of 751,500 tonnes of yellow corn was imported.