Mexican farmers warn of crisis ahead of USMCA annual review

The National Union of Agricultural Workers (UNTA) warned that Mexico faces a “complex and challenging” agro‑food outlook in 2026 because of the mandatory annual review of the United States‑Mexico‑Canada Agreement (USMCA). UNTA secretary‑general Álvaro López Ríos said the sector is jeopardised by U.S. pressure to cut its agricultural trade deficit and by prospective tighter rules of origin, phytosanitary measures and other regulations.

UNTA cited imports of 19.93 million tonnes of grains and oilseeds during the first five months of 2026 – the second‑highest January‑May total on record – and a projection by the Agricultural Information Service that higher costs and low producer prices could shrink the planted area by 35 % in key states such as Jalisco, Michoacán and Guanajuato. The union called on the Mexican government to adopt urgent policies that guarantee stable markets and profitable prices for small and medium producers, warning that Mexican farmers lack the subsidies, lower logistics costs and technology that U.S. growers enjoy.