MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Monday that he would sign an agreement this week with tortilla makers that ensures they only use non-genetically modified (GM) white corn.
Lopez Obrador added that the agreement will include tariffs on imported white corn to promote the purchase from domestic producers.
Mexico has been embroiled in a trade dispute with the United States over a decree to limit the use of GM corn, particularly for human consumption.
The U.S. and Canada requested trade dispute settlement consultations earlier this month under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), arguing that Mexico’s policies are not science-based and will harm U.S. farmers that export corn to their southern neighbor.
Lopez Obrador said in a regular press conference was about to sign an agreement “so that only white and non-transgenic corn is used in tortilla shops.”
The agreement would also establish tariffs to reduce the reliance on imported white corn and promote the purchase from Mexican producers, he said.
Producers protested last week to demand Mexico’s government guarantee prices for corn, wheat and sorghum to counteract a fall in international prices.
(Reporting by Cassandra Garrison; Writing by Brendan O’Boyle)
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