Value of Mexican corn imports breaks record to September

Mexico broke a record in its corn imports from January to September 2022, adding a total of 4,259 million dollars and with an interannual growth of 12.3%, according to data from the Bank of Mexico.

The peak of these external purchases occurs while Mexico is facing three controversial issues with the United States, by far its main supplier of this raw material: the progressive elimination of the use of glyphosate; the prohibition of transgenic maize for human consumption in Mexico and the prohibition of the planting of genetically modified maize – which has never been allowed.

Globally, Mexico ranked as the second largest corn importer in the world in 2021, with 5,147 million dollars, being displaced from the first position by China, whose imports were 8,023 million dollars.

Glyphosate is a herbicide used to control the growth of weeds by preventing the production of certain proteins that are not necessary for growth. But there have been various allegations that this product causes cancer, which the US government denies.

What would happen without glyphosate? According to estimates from the consultancy of the Grupo Consultor de Mercados Agrícolas (GCMA), corn production would decrease in Mexico by 550,000 tons in the spring-summer cycle and by 165,000 tons in the autumn-winter cycle.

The use of glyphosate in grain tech packs prevents weeds from competing with crops for water, sunlight, and nutrients. Mexican farmers mostly use glyphosate for pre-planting and land clearing.

According to GCMA, more than 30 crops in Mexico use the glyphosate-based herbicide: corn (34%), citrus (14%), sorghum (11%), cotton (5%), sugarcane (3%) and avocado (3%). %), among others

What would happen without glyphosate? “The world is not ending, but agricultural production would be affected,” replied Juan Carlos Anaya, general director of GCMA.

The government of Mexico promised to have a substitute for glyphosate on the Mexican market, but so far this has not happened.

As part of the controversy, for example, the company American Vanguard Corporation stated that judgments on product liability in relation to glyphosate and cases related to other pesticides issued by national courts pose a risk of litigation for companies in this sector.

International claim

National courts have handed down numerous judgments in product liability cases against Bayer/Monsanto in relation to injuries allegedly resulting from exposure to the herbicide glyphosate.

American Vanguard Corporation, a producer of agrochemicals and pesticides, added that the basis was alleged carcinogenicity based largely on the conclusions of a certain international organization, despite significant scientific evidence to the contrary.

Although the company does not sell glyphosate, the theory of these results could put one or more of the company’s products at risk, he said.

In addition, several product liability cases involving paraquat have been brought in national courts. Although the company is not a party to these cases and discontinued its limited sales of this herbicide shortly after acquiring an end-use registration as part of a larger acquisition, there is no guarantee that one or more product liability actions will not be filed against the company on a similar basis.

roberto.morales@eleconomista.mx