Grain Production in Mexico Will Face Its Worst Decline in 25 Years
Early frosts could affect Argentina’s 2024/25 corn harvest, estimated at 39 million tonnes. (Buenos Aires Grain Exchange)
As from the middle of 2025, Brazil will be able to export bone-in beef to Patagonia, following the official recognition by the OIE as a zone free of foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination. The final decision will depend on the approval of the 183 member countries of the World Organization for Animal Health at a meeting at the end of May. (National Agri-Food Health and Quality Service)
Vicentin, a soybean processor, has stopped its factories due to a lack of contracts, affecting the payment of salaries, which, if not paid by Tuesday, could lead to further stoppages. (Vicentin; Oilseed Workers’ Union)
Agricultural sector’ representatives have argued in the Congress for the permanent elimination of withholding taxes on exports, claiming they are unconstitutional and have a negative impact on production and competitiveness. According to them, the tax has caused more than 106,000 farmers to abandon their activities and has taken more than US$ 200 billion out of the sector in 20 years. (Argentine Rural Society; Argentine Agrarian Federation)
Pelayo Agronomía, which sells 450,000 bags of soybeans and wheat, will invest up to US$ 5 million to double seed production. (Pelayo Agronomy)
Morocco has opened its market to beef offal from Brazil, expanding agricultural exports to a country that imported US$ 1.36 billion in 2024. (Ministry of Agriculture)
Minerva Foods has proposed a capital increase of up to US$ 344.8 million, with the issuance of 386.8 million shares at US$ 0.89 each, to be voted on at this month’s assembly. The objective is to reduce its debt. (Minerva Foods; Salic International Investment Company)
Alert for “irreversible losses” in the productivity of the second corn season in the State of Paraná due to the lack of sufficient rainfall. Currently, 65% of the crops are in good condition, 23% average and 12% poor. (Deral)
Chamber’s Agriculture Committee approved Bill 6360/2019, which increases transparency and inspection of the Rural Land Tax, allowing rural development councils to report irregularities. The Bill also updates the legislation in line with Constitutional Amendment 42/2023, eliminating the requirement for the owner to work directly in order to be exempt from the tax. (Parliamentary Agricultural Front)
Hedgepoint Global Markets will begin periodic analysis of the global cocoa market in April amid high volatility in the sector. (Hedgepoint Global Markets)
Atvos has signed an agreement with the Japanese startup Tsubame BHB to build a green ammonia plant in Mineiros, in the State of Goiás, with an investment of over US$ 12.07 million. The facility, integrated with the Morro Vermelho mill, will have a capacity of 20,000 tonnes per year to replace fossil-based nitrogen fertilizers. The project plans to use renewable energy and could prevent the emission of 11,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually. (Atvos)
Harvest production estimative for the 2024/25 have been raised to 167.87 million tonnes of soybean (+500 thousand tonnes) and 124.74 million tonnes of corn (+1.98 million tonnes) (Conab).
Consumer Price Index for March rose 0.5%, raising annual inflation to 4.9%, with tomato (22.7%) and beef (1.8%) prices rising the most. (National Institute of Statistics and Censuses; Ministry of Agriculture)
Colombia has received authorization to export beef and poultry products to Namibia. (Fenavi; Invima)
Association of Banana Farmers of Magdalena and La Guajira called for moderation from the Colombian government following the US announcement of reciprocal tariffs, warning of impacts on the sector, which exports more than US$ 170 million in bananas to the country. (Asbama)
Riopaila Castilla, a sugarcane processor, expanded its area of operation by 1,200 hectares and closed 2024 with revenues of US$ 379.5 million, an 11% increase in profits and EBITDA of US$ 75.9 million. (Riopaila Castilla)
Coffee production reached 3.78 million bags in the Q1 of 2025, an increase of 36% on the previous year. (National Federation of Coffee Growers)
Government has granted US$ 967,200 to 1,209 farmers as part of the CATTA Bonus – New Ecuador, created to mitigate the impacts of the heavy rainfall. The one-off aid of US$ 800 will go to 10,000 farmers in eight provinces in a state of emergency. (Ministry of Agriculture)
Grain production will face the worst drop in 25 years due to the drought, with a projection of 32.4 million tonnes in 2025, down from 40.8 million in 2021. The wheat harvest will fall by 41.2%, and the sorghum harvest by 8.9%, to 4.3 million. Corn is expected to reach 21.7 million tonnes, with record imports of 25.2 million. The drought will force the abandonment of 270,000 hectares of crops in states like Sonora and Baja California. The government has launched the Harvest Sovereignty program to strengthen food self-sufficiency. (Agricultural Markets Consulting Group; Government of Mexico)
Inflation rose to 3.80% in March 2025, the highest level in three months, with non-underlying inflation reaching 4.16%. Agricultural products rose by 4.87% (INEGI; Banxico)
Government will invest approximately US$ 4.1 billion to strengthen food sovereignty, with US$ 2.64 billion going to 300,000 farmers by 2025. The initiative seeks to reduce foreign dependence and strengthen the domestic market in the face of US trade policies. (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development)
April will have below average rainfall, increasing the risk to crops, especially in sandy areas. (Union of Production Guilds)
In the 1Q of 2025, 2,608.9 tonnes of poultry products were exported, an increase of 490.8 tonnes compared to the same period in 2024. Revenues amounted had an increase of 22%. The average of export price rose by 3% to US$ 1,665 per tonne. The main destinations were Iraq (45%), Albania (19%) and Vietnam (16%). (National Animal Health and Quality Service)
Tomato prices are unstable due to the high dependence on imports, which account for 80% of consumption. The national supply should improve by May. (Association of Importers and Traders of Fruits and Vegetables at the Abasto Central Market)
ProHass predicts a 37% increase in the avocado harvest in 2025, after a 10% drop the previous year. (ProHass)
US$ 750 million will be the private investment in reforestation and carbon credits, with the potential to grow due to interest from more investors. The financing seeks to conserve forests and reduce emissions, in line with corporate sustainability strategies. (Imperative)
Uruguay has received authorization to export poultry meat to Hong Kong (INAC; MGAP; Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Rafael Ferber has taken over the presidency of the Rural Association of Uruguay. An agricultural, livestock and dairy farmer, Ferber previously chaired the Uruguayan Chamber of Agricultural Services and had been working at the ARU since 2018 as Director of Exhibitions. (ARU)
READ MORE: