Hit by drought, Mexican sugar production falls 15%
Mexican sugar production fell 15% in the current season, which is ending early due to a drought that has sapped crops and impacted yields, producers said Friday, citing official data.
Mexico, which exports sugar to the United States, produced 5.22 million tonnes in the 2022/23 season, falling short of the most recent estimate of some 5.43 million tonnes, according to national sugar committee Conadesuca.
The previous harvest yielded 6.164 million tonnes, data from the committee showed.
“Drought is the main factor,” said Carlos Blackaller, head of the UNC, the largest sugarcane producers’ organization in Mexico, adding that poor fertilization also hurt yields.
“For the next harvest we expect a moderate improvement in productivity,” Blackaller said. “With a good rainy season, we could return to sugar production above 6 million tonnes.”
The current yields come close to those of the 2019/20 season, the lowest yields in the last 10 seasons at 5.28 million tonnes.
Mexico produces sugar in about half of its 32 states. Too much water in the sugar cane, or too little, can greatly impact the quality and quantity of sugar produced.
A recent report by Mexican water commission Conagua showed that almost 35% of the country was in a moderate to extreme drought as of June 15. Veracruz, the largest sugar producing state, was suffering an “abnormally dry” climate in around 40% of its territory. (Reporting by Adriana Barrera, writing by Cassandra Garrison, editing by Sandra Maler)
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