Mexico City.- In Mexico, cilantro production faces challenges derived from the deep drought, but also from occasional hailstorms, which is why its price per kilo already reaches up to 141 pesos, while a bunch sells for up to nine pesos.
However, producers in the countryside, who face the challenge of growing this crop without water and protecting it from storms, do not see any benefit from the price increase.
According to data from the Agricultural Market Consulting Group (GCMA), although the price per kilo is sold to the final consumer at more than 140 pesos, the farmer barely receives 12.5 pesos per kilo.
In the case of Mexico City, the price for sale at the Central de Abastos, where small vendors buy the input for resale in bundles or for food businesses, the average price is 100 pesos per kilo.
Juan Carlos Anaya, general director of the GCMA, explained that, as in fruits and vegetables, the intermediation between the producer and the final consumer is where the greatest profit is being made due to this price increase.
Among the main cilantro-producing states are Puebla and Baja California, which concentrate about 68 percent of national production.
In Anaya’s opinion, although cilantro crops have climatic effects such as burnt leaves, pests and yellowing herbs, the effects are also due to economic issues, due to a lack of profitability.
“Although most farmers have irrigation systems and deep well water, adverse weather conditions and water scarcity are causing a reduction in production.
“Given the lack of water and resources, many farmers in the state of Puebla, one of the main suppliers of cilantro, have chosen not to plant, thus reducing the cultivation area due to lack of profitability,” he explained.
According to the GCMA, cilantro is not the only crop that faces this scenario, since cases such as broccoli and lettuce, which although are from protected agriculture, face the same challenge of low profitability.
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