Mexico Farmers Take Over Sinaloa Airport During Protest on Low Grain Prices
Many flights were delayed or canceled because of protests by Mexico farmers at the Sinaloa Airport, where they demanded guaranteed prices for grains. Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Mexico farmers in the northern Mexican city of Culiacan staged a protest at the Sinaloa airport to express their dissatisfaction with the low prices offered for their corn and wheat crops, AP reports.

The blockade, which began on Tuesday in Sinaloa state, resulted in the cancellation of numerous flights until it concluded on Thursday.

While the protest initially received limited international attention, Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha's call for the takeover of US-owned grain warehouses sparked controversy.

Governor Rocha appealed to the farmers on Wednesday, urging them to abandon the airport and instead occupy the warehouses or offices of the American food giant Cargill.

This statement drew a strong rebuke from a group of US expatriates in Mexico. However, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador stated on Thursday that he would not intervene in the dispute, despite the disruptions caused by the airport blockade.

López Obrador accused large-scale farmers, who possess thousands of acres of land, of taking advantage of a subsidy system designed for small-scale farmers.

He also suggested that political opponents were instigating the dispute. While asserting that the government would not yield to pressure, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador emphasized that force would not be employed to end the airport occupation.

Mexico Farmers Want Guarantee Prices for Their Crops

Mexico farmers are urging President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to intervene and ensure price guarantees for corn, wheat, and sorghum, as they face a significant decline in international prices, per Reuters.

The most-active corn contract on the Chicago Board of Trade dropped by approximately 19.5% compared to last year. In comparison, wheat prices have seen a decrease of around 43%.

Farmers publicly addressed a letter to President López Obrador last week, requesting the establishment of price levels to sustain their livelihoods amidst rising production costs.

They proposed setting the price of corn at 7,000 pesos ($402.90) per ton, wheat at 8,000 pesos ($460.45) per ton, and sorghum at 6,500 pesos ($374.12) per ton.

However, the farmers claimed they received no response to their demands, which prompted them to take action.

Videos shared on social media depicted farmers marching to Culiacan airport and blocking its entrances. In other footage, farmers entered government offices and emptied bags of grain onto the floor as a form of protest.

The demonstrations prompted the deployment of national guard troops and police to some protest sites.

Mexico Farmers End Their Protest After AMLO Refused Talks

Mexico farmers concluded their protest at the Sinaloa airport on Thursday and agreed to hold a meeting with the local governor, SaltWire noted.

This decision came after President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said he would not negotiate with the demonstrators.

Baltazar Valdez, the president of the United Farm Workers of Sinaloa, explained that the hundreds of farmers protesting at the Sinaloa airport since Tuesday chose to end the demonstration to avoid further inconvenience to airport users.

Valdez emphasized the importance of maintaining the sympathy and support of civil society and mentioned that a delegation of farmers would meet with Rocha.

Valdez expressed that many agricultural workers had initially supported President Andrés Manuel López Obrador but no longer believed he was effectively safeguarding their interests.

Valdez also said that there is a perception that the president needs more interest in protecting the agriculture sector, despite its crucial role in ensuring food self-sufficiency.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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