Mexico Corn Production Declines as Imports Soar Amid Agreement With South Korea
Mexico's corn production is expected to decline by 3% in 2026, reaching 23.5Mt, while imports will surge to a record 24.8Mt. This leaves domestic output below half of the country's apparent consumption of 48.2Mt. The decrease in production is attributed to drought in Sinaloa, where output fell from 6.8Mt to 1.8Mt, as well as high input costs and limited financing.
On National Corn Day, Minister of Agriculture Columba López announced a digital input platform, credit through Harvesting Sovereignty, and climate-adapted seed programs. Mexico's corn supply is guaranteed until 2030 with no increase in tortilla prices, according to López.
Mexico and South Korea have signed two memorandums of understanding to strengthen their agricultural ties. The agreements focus on joint research in sustainable agriculture and electronic certification of agricultural products to streamline bilateral trade. South Korea brings expertise in agricultural technology, having mechanized 98.6% of its rice farmland and aiming to raise farm productivity by 30% by 2030 with a US$162.2 million R&D budget for 2026.