Mexican Bean Crop Remains Up, Imports Falling

WASHINGTON - Mar 21/13 - SNS -- Mexican bean production is not expected to change much this year as government efforts to improve food self-sufficiency include support for dry edible bean producers, believe the U.S. agricultural attache for the country, which should result in reduced imports.

While the budget available to PROCAMPO's agricultural support program is unchanged at roughly U.S. $1.08 billion, the focus is shifting. The program's titles has been changed from 'PROCAMPO for Better Living' to 'PROCAMPO Productive', which highlights a new provision that growers are only eligible to receive PROCAMPO's support for planted area.

"Before, growers could get support payments just for land ownership, not on actual production. Failure to meet this new planting requirement will lead to removal from land registration in the PROCAMPO directory. Consequently, the grower shall not be eligible to receive the subsidy in the future if no planting takes place.

"Moreover, SAGARPA stated that, under the new program, the maximum area under production that a grower can receive a PROCAMPO subsidy will be the equivalent (in hectares) up to 100,000 pesos (roughly U.S. $7,750.00) per grower and per crop cycle. Under PROCAMPO, a flat rate payment for corn, sorghum, wheat, rice, and dry beans will be provided to farmers for the 2012-2013 fall-winter and 2013 spring-summer crop cycles," the U.S. agricultural attache said.