Mexico City, July 1. In just four years, the of corn imports, a staple food for Mexican families, has increased by 40 percent, according to official figures. The main factor is the decline in domestic production due to extreme weather events such as floods and droughts.
Data from Mexico's National Customs Agency (ANAM) indicate that in 2020 (the year the COVID-19 pandemic began), the country imported a total of 16.1 million tons of corn. Meanwhile, by the end of 2024, according to estimates by the Agricultural Markets Consulting Group (GCMA), 22.7 million tons will have been purchased from abroad.
Since 2018, grain imports had remained stable at 17 million tons annually; however, they skyrocketed in the wake of the pandemic.
Imports of corn—mainly yellow and genetically modified corn from the United States—will reach an unprecedented level this year, increasing by 16 percent compared to the 19.6 million tons for the entire previous year.
