The Ministry of Economy prepares a quota for bean imports to Mexico

The Ministry of Economy released, as a draft in Conamer, an agreement related to a quota for imports of 70,000 tons of black beans to Mexico.

As part of the modifications to the respective agreement, the precision for 2021 of the allocation of 70,000 tons exclusively for the importation of black beans will be added to Article 1, classified in tariff section 0713.33.99 identified with the commercial identification number (NICO) 02 «Black bean».

Today, argued the Ministry of Economy, there is a growing demand for beans due to the health emergency caused by Covid-19, and a decrease in production due to the drought conditions that occurred in the Spring-Summer 2019 cycle, in states where the storm prevails in said cycle, which has resulted in a reduction in inventories.

Despite the fact that in the agricultural year 2020 production increased by 26.7% compared to the agricultural year 2019 (from 879,404 to 1 million 114,149 tons), this is lower than that registered in 2018.

As a result of the lower production, in particular that of black beans, which is the one with the highest national consumption, in 2020 the National Bean Producer Price Index increased 20.4% compared to that registered in 2019 (101,720 to 122,424 index-ui units), in the same reference period.

At the same time, the National Consumer Price Index was higher by 29.7% (from 102,215 to 132,549 UI).

Black beans

Wholesale prices in the different supply centers in the country have reacted to trends in producer and consumer prices.

The Ministry of the Economy also argued that during 2020, beans were one of the products that increased the most in price.

Currently Mexico has phytosanitary requirements sheets (HRF) for the importation of beans for the following countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, the United States, Nicaragua and Peru.

There is a duty-free import quota for beans classified in tariff items 0713.33.02, 0713.33.03 and 0713.33.99 that applies during the period from August 15 to November 30 of each year.

In addition, the Ministry of Economy said that the quota will provide a mechanism to diversify the sources of supply in the months of lower national production (from April to September of each year) and thus cover domestic demand.

The period for assigning this amount of the quota will be from the date of publication of this modification until September 30, 2021.