Overview
- The federal government has launched the Sistema de Ordenamiento del maíz blanco, a program that uses voluntary advance‑purchase contracts with roughly 80 commercial buyers to prioritize Mexican white maize in the domestic market.
- Agricultural groups led by UNTA called the measure a “política absurda” and said the program only reaches about 61,000 producers versus an estimated 2.5 million small and medium maize farmers, creating a large coverage gap.
- UNTA leader Álvaro López Ríos accused the government and SADER of abandoning a formal price‑guarantee mechanism, warning that price setting will be left to acopiadores and buyers and that farmers will bear greater market risk.
- Producers point to drought damage and shrinking planted area — citing losses of about 15,000 hectares in Estado de México — and to record imports of over four million tonnes of maize in Jan–Apr 2026 as evidence the scheme will not reverse growing import dependence.
- Supporters say the program offers advance sales, seed and input links, and buyer commitments to favour domestic grain, but protests and political pressure from regions such as Sinaloa show tensions are likely to continue as farmers seek wider, guaranteed support.