Mexico's Corn Production Declines as Trade Agreements Strengthen

Mexico's corn production is expected to decline by 3% in 2026, falling to 23.5Mt, while imports will reach a record high of 24.8Mt, according to the General Crop Council for Mexico (GCMA). This is due to drought in Sinaloa, where production fell from 6.8Mt to 1.8Mt, as well as high input costs and limited financing.

Despite this decline, Minister of Agriculture Columba López assured that Mexico's corn supply is guaranteed until 2030 with no increase in tortilla prices. To address the issue, a digital input platform, credit through Harvesting Sovereignty, and climate-adapted seed programs have been announced.

Mexico and South Korea have also signed two memorandums of understanding to strengthen their agricultural cooperation. 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.