A Corn Crisis Is Brewing in Mexico

Few things are more revered in Mexico than corn. This staple crop is both a cultural symbol and a cornerstone of national identity, with roots stretching back to pre-Hispanic times. Indigenous groups regard it as a gift from the god Quetzalcóatl; whatever its provenance, the corn tortilla remains a fixture of everyday Mexican life. “Sin maíz no hay país” — “without corn, there is no country” — is a saying that former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s nationalist movement has amplified since he took office in 2018. The problem is that, like many national symbols, corn can’t live up to the myth forever. Mexicans are by far the world’s largest consumers of corn per capita, to the point that domestic production can no longer meet demand. The country increasingly relies on imports of yellow corn, mostly from the US, to feed livestock and supply industrial uses, while reserving its prized white corn for household consumption. Rising temperatures, poor yields, recurring droughts ...