Rice production increases in Mexico and Honduras through new varieties and expanded cultivation

Rice production is seeing significant growth in Mexico and Honduras due to improved seed varieties and expanded planting areas. In Mexico, national production reached 257,480 tons in 2025, a 17.3 percent increase from 2024. This growth was driven by a 28.4 percent expansion in cultivated land, totaling 40,250 hectares. The states of Nayarit, Campeche, and Michoacán contributed nearly 70 percent of the national total. In Campeche, production grew by 134.8 percent as part of the Plan Campeche initiative to strengthen food sovereignty.

In Honduras, producers in Santa Bárbara are projecting a harvest of 10,000 quintals following the introduction of the Juma 6920 seed variety from the Dominican Republic. This new variety, part of the LRC system promoted by the Secretariat of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG), has allowed yields to exceed 120 quintals per manzana, compared to traditional yields of 70 to 75 quintals. The variety is noted for its resistance to specific herbicides, which helps control red rice weeds and reduces pesticide costs.