Wheat: Mexico faces lowest irrigation in 20 years

Published 2025년 5월 14일

Tridge summary

The USDA's May World Agricultural Production report has forecasted a significant decrease in Mexico's wheat production for the 2025/26 harvest, attributing the decline to severe water shortages, especially in the state of Sonora. The drought has forced farmers to drastically cut wheat cultivation, with a 76% reduction in planted area. Authorities are promoting the cultivation of less irrigated crops like barley and safflower. Despite unused agricultural land, the drought has impeded productive activities in most states, leading to a substantial drop in vegetation in wheat areas. Only 92% of Mexico's total cereal production is expected to be winter wheat due to these constraints.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

Wheat production in Mexico for the 2025/26 harvest will be severely impacted by water shortages, according to the May World Agricultural Production (WAP) report, published by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Approximately 96% of wheat grown in the country is winter wheat, sown between October and December and harvested from April to June of the following year. The state of Sonora, responsible for 54% of the country’s winter wheat production, recorded the lowest availability of water for irrigation in 20 years between October 2024 and April 2025. The situation has forced local producers to drastically reduce the area planted. “The area allocated to cultivation fell by 76%, from 248,000 hectares last year to 59,000 hectares in 2025,” the report states, based on data from Mexico’s Agri-Food and Fisheries Information Service (SIAP). The prolonged drought has led federal and state authorities to recommend the cultivation of crops that are less dependent on ...

Source: Agrolink