Risks to the economy

Seeds in general and those transgenic in particular, have become a commodity that generates profits to multi-million dollar companies that control the world market. An oligopoly corporations seed dominate the world market of commercial seed, where only two of them, Bayer (Monsanto) and Corteva Agriscience, controlling 40%, which gives an account of the accelerated process of concentration of this market. It has been shown that gmos are not more productive than traditional crops, but their defense by the corporate sector responds to the economic interests around the business they make up.

Given the concentration of offer of transgenic seeds in a few large corporations, their approval for planting in the country involves transferring the control of the seed market in Mexico, condemning the farmers to buy seeds every agricultural cycle and leave the food sovereignty that is based on the ability to produce our own seeds.

Currently (2023), Mexico is self-sufficient in the production of white corn. However, we need to import yellow corn and we do so primarily from the united States, the major producer of transgenic corn in the world. Given the risks and environmental health related to the consumption of transgenic corn, in 2020 and 2023 were issued presidential decrees to remove the import of transgenic maize for human consumption and for use as a forage crop in the food industry, as well as to gradually decrease the use of glyphosate, the main herbicide linked to the gm maize. There is No evidence scientifically objective, proven the economic damage of billions of dollars that causes this decree, provided by the u.s. government. On the contrary, there are fields of maize, non-transgenic that may be imported into Mexico from the united States, to meet the demand for yellow corn. This would result in a positive impact on the health of the mexican, the care of their biodiversity and food sovereignty.

Recommended sources

Espinosa, A., Sánchez, R., Driker, S., y Hagman E. (28 de abril del 2023). Maíz transgénico y soberanía nacional.  [Clausura] Jornadas académicas: Maíz transgénico y soberanía nacional. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWmkqhSQYzg

Méndez, C. (2016). Disrupting maize. Food, Biotechnology and Nationalism in Contemporary Mexico [Corn disruptive. Food, biotechnology and nationalism in contemporary Mexico]. Rowman & Littlefield