Yucatán's economic slowdown and karst soil risks signal regional challenges

The latest INEGI report shows that Yucatán fell to 13th place among Mexico's states in economic activity for the fourth quarter of 2025, recording an annual growth rate of 2.1%. Growth was modest in the secondary sector (3.2%) and the tertiary sector (1.1%), while the primary sector – agriculture, fishing and livestock – grew 12% and placed the state fifth nationally.

Researchers warn that the peninsula's fragile karst geology and rapid expansion of urban, agro‑industrial and tourism activities are threatening its shallow aquifers and ecosystems. Thin, erosion‑prone soils have low load‑bearing capacity, and contamination from intensive pig farming and monoculture crops is seeping into groundwater. As the scientist Yameli Aguilar noted, “Hay una generación muy alta de contaminantes de todo tipo, y lamentablemente no siempre hay plantas de tratamiento…”. This pollution contributes to eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, and impacts on coastal mangroves, fisheries and tourism.