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According to Reuters, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Tuesday (29 November) that he was seeking a deal with the US after the latter threatened legal action against Mexico’s plan.
This followed a meeting between Mexican officials and the US Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack.
“Mexico’s import ban would cause both massive economic losses for Mexico’s agricultural industries and citizens, as well as place an unjustified burden on US farmers,” Vilsack told reporters, warning that the move would “have a significant impact on the US-Mexico trade relationship.”
Speaking at a separate media conference, Lopez Obrador stressed “the ban was focused on genetically-modified yellow maize for human consumption”.
US farmers exported about 17 million tons of maize to Mexico every year, with that country being one of the largest buyers of US maize.
There had been particular concern from US farmers about the threat of a ban on GM yellow maize for animal feed.
However, according to Reuters, Lopez Obrador indicated that GM maize would continue to be allowed for animal feed despite the decree coming into force. But it remained unclear exactly how the process would work or for how long the exemption could last.
“We offered to extend the term to two years, in the case of yellow maize used for [livestock feed],” Lopez Obrador said, without explaining when such an extension would start and end.
The implementation of the planned ban on GM maize had been shrouded in confusion from the start, Reuters said.
In addition, Lopez Obrador also did not specify whether Mexico still planned to reduce overall yellow maize imports by about half in 2024, as was reported last month.
At the time, supporters of the ban said GM maize could contaminate Mexico’s native varieties.
US officials was therefore calling for clarity and warned that the ban could result in severe economic fallout.
“Since GM maize accounts for 90% of US-grown maize, blocking any imports using this safe and environmentally friendly technology would not only be a major blow to the Mexican people and the economy, but it would be hard on American farmers and rural communities,” Jon Doggett, chief executive of the National Corn Growers’ Association, representing US farmers, told Reuters.
However, Lopez Obrador stressed during his media conference that he wanted health authorities in both countries to assess the impact of GM maize on human health.
