The Mexican countryside is experiencing a new wave of protests. Producers of corn, tomatoes, avocados, and lemons are launching a nationwide strike across various regions due to the sharp drop in grain prices. They argue that this situation has jeopardized the rural economy and could halt national production.
The protests involve blockades and marches in states such as Puebla, Hidalgo, Tamaulipas, Michoacán, and Zacatecas, where demonstrators are demanding that the state and federal governments establish a fair guarantee price and regulate agricultural marketing.
In southeastern Puebla, producers from Tepanco de López reported that they are receiving about 5,400 pesos per ton, a rate they believe is too low to cover planting and harvesting costs.
They also claimed that the entry of transgenic maize into the national market is impacting small producers. As a form of pressure, they took over the toll booth in Tehuacán, in San Lorenzo Teotipilco, where more than 30 tractors blocked the road.
"If the countryside doesn't produce, the city doesn't eat," the protesters stated. Local authorities have engaged in discussions, but no final resolution has been announced yet.
In Hidalgo, farmers blocked several roads in the Valle del Mezquital and Arco Norte, including Tepatepec-Actopan, Mexico-Laredo (Caxuxi), and Tlahuelilpan-Tula. The protests caused traffic congestion and delays in public transportation.
In Morelia, farmers gathered outside the Government Palace with farming equipment and protest signs.
"We are paid 5,700 pesos per ton of maize and 5,300 pesos per ton of sorghum, when production costs surpass 56,000 pesos," stated Timoteo Cervantes, a maize producer in Angamacutiro.
The growers are demanding that the price per ton be increased to 7,200 pesos, along with the creation of agricultural insurance, a contingency fund, and subsidies for modernization of the countryside.
Mobilizations spread to municipalities like Jiquilpan, Ario de Rosales, Sahuayo, Zináparo, Ecuandureo, Uruapan, and Apatzingán, where lemon growers are calling for regulation of the days designated for harvesting and selling citrus fruit.
They also noted that the livestock sector is facing a similarly critical situation and complained that, unlike in the United States, the Mexican government does not subsidize agricultural inputs.
Héctor Eliborio Peña, president of AMPI Río Bravo in Tamaulipas, highlighted concerns over the rising diesel prices, the absence of catastrophic insurance, and the sector's exclusion from decisions on agricultural programs. Producers are calling for dialogue and negotiations to secure a favorable response from the government.
Farmers in Zacatecas blocked key state roads, including routes to Jalisco, Aguascalientes, San Luis Potosí, Durango, and Coahuila, leading to long vehicle queues stretching for kilometers.
Zacatecas, the leading national producer of beans, chili, and onions, is experiencing a crisis caused by "coyotaje". According to the growers, middlemen are making it hard to sell directly to the federal government's collection system centres.
They call for audits to explore potential corruption involving civil servants and collectors, and request mechanisms to ensure fair prices in the upcoming agricultural cycle.
The protesters cautioned that without a clear response from the authorities, the protests might persist indefinitely.
Source: milenio.com
