Back

LatinNews Daily - 26 June 2018

In brief: Mexico

* Federal Judge José Francisco Pérez Mier from the seventh district court in Mexico’s Sinaloa state has ordered the federal agriculture ministry (Sagarpa) to ban the import of fresh potatoes from the US. Pérez Mier says that his order is based on the protection of the right to food and national security and sovereignty. The judge analysed the consequences that the arrival of a plague from Mexico’s northern neighbour could have on national potato production on the request of local potato producers who argued that the phytosanitary regulations introduced in 2016, which eased the restrictions on the import of US potatoes, puts the national crop at risk. Pérez Mier determined that failing to protect the national potato crop from foreign plagues could lead to its decimation. Such an event could also negatively affect the aubergine, chili, tomato, and tobacco crops in Mexico. Pérez Mier also argued that the idea espoused by the government that importing food is better than promoting national production of staples makes Mexico dependent on a foreign power that has recently turned hostile to Mexico. For Pérez Mier this food dependency goes against national security. He also called on the national authorities to defend national agricultural production from the US as it has applied commercial pressures to avoid phytosanitary controls and generate the conditions for exerting food control over Mexico. 

End of preview - This article contains approximately 227 words.

Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article

Not a Subscriber?

Choose from one of the following options

LatinNews
Intelligence Research Ltd.
167-169 Great Portland Street,
5th floor,
London, W1W 5PF - UK
Phone : +44 (0) 203 695 2790
Contact
You may contact us via our online contact form
Copyright © 2022 Intelligence Research Ltd. All rights reserved.