The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that Mexico has reduced its livestock inventories due to the drought.
By boat soon, ranching appears to be the agricultural activity that makes the most headlines in Mexico, as farmers announce reductions in animal inventories of 40 percent in Sonora and Chihuahua.
Drought conditions have slightly affected livestock in the main producing states such as Jalisco, Veracruz and San Luis Potosí.
However, according to the USDA, the lack of rainfall and dry weather has affected other important states, such as Sonora, Sinaloa, Coahuila, Tamaulipas and Chihuahua, and the scarcity of water has modified the patterns / mechanics of livestock operations. .
Animal inventories are being drastically depleted, for example in Sonora, where more than 300,000 head have been slaughtered or sold to other states and that number is expected to hit 426,000 in July, when the rainy season normally begins.
But those animals were expected to be euthanized or sold anyway, but for a longer period of time.
Livestock inventories
Always according to the USDA, Chihuahua farmers face market prices approximately 20% below the average given the lack of water and the fact that the animals do not reach the optimum weight, for which the producers are forced to export the largest possible amount of livestock to reduce your expenses.
In general, agriculture in Mexico is very vulnerable to extreme weather events, such as water shortages in the north or tropical storms in the south of the country, which can cause great damage to agricultural and livestock production.
From the perspective of the World Bank, overcoming this set of challenges is fundamental for Mexico, given the importance of the sector for productive inclusion in the country.
The Mexican beef industry maintains a steady pace in implementing best production practices, which have increased the resilience of the national meat supply chain during Mexico’s adverse economic times.
In Federal Inspection Type (TIF) establishments, Mexico established strong health protocols before unforeseen outbreaks of coronavirus, which allowed the national industry, says the USDA, to continue production without major setbacks or closures.
