In Sinaloa, preparations for the 2025/26 vegetable season are underway, following what growers describe as one of the most challenging cycles in recent years. In 2024/25, low prices for crops such as chili peppers and tomatoes prevented farmers from covering production costs, leaving many with losses.
"We had good yields and quality; what we didn't have was price," said Gonzalo Vizcarra Belderrain, president of the Río Baluarte Farmers' Association. Despite favorable harvests, prices collapsed and failed to recover. Hot peppers and tomatoes sold for just MXN $1.00–$1.50 per kilo, well below the MXN $7.00 per kilo break-even point. Open-field production costs are estimated at MXN $250,000–$300,000 per hectare. For three weeks, chili prices reached MXN $10.00, but the rise was too brief to change the outcome of the season.
Vizcarra pointed to several factors behind the crisis: a weakened economy reducing demand, product oversupply, the impact of violence in agricultural areas, and uncertainty over tariffs in international markets. "Our economy is not doing well. We've seen demand problems and oversupply. But we remain optimistic this season, even though uncertainty continues," he said.
Regional impact
The price crisis hit not only farmers but also the regional economy, as horticulture is a key source of employment in Sinaloa. With lower profitability, growers had less capacity to generate jobs in communities dependent on the sector.
Looking ahead, producers are preparing with the hope that markets will behave more favorably and that external conditions will allow for a better balance between supply and demand. Still, optimism is tempered by caution, as economic recovery signals remain weak and international pressures continue to weigh on crop planning.
Strategies for resilience
The focus is now on more efficient crop management and seeking diversification opportunities to mitigate risks. Collaboration between public and private sectors is also expected to strengthen the resilience of Sinaloa's horticulture amid an uncertain economic outlook.
Source: agrolatam.com
