Mexico's tortilla production sector has announced a price hike for the staple food, with increases potentially reaching 4 pesos per kilo depending on the region. The announcement, made by the National Tortilla Council, comes amid opposition from President Claudia Sheinbaum's administration.
Homero López García, president of the National Tortilla Council, told UnoTV that the adjustment will take effect on April 15. According to the businessman, the increase will range between 1 and 4 pesos per kilogram following a nationwide analysis.
López García justified the move, noting that the industry has absorbed the rising costs of fuel, transportation, spare parts, and raw materials over the last three years. "We conducted an analysis across the entire Republic, and there will be places where prices rise by two, three, or four pesos (...) we have faced a 16% deficit over the last three years, yet the price of tortillas remained stable," the organization's leader stated.
Federal government dismisses hike, citing low corn prices
For her part, President Claudia Sheinbaum rejected the need for the increase. The president stated she finds no justification for the hike, arguing that corn grain levels are currently at their lowest in history.
Sheinbaum noted that she has already held discussions with Julio Berdegué, head of the Ministry of Agriculture, with the goal of preventing food prices from soaring. The president also questioned the price discrepancies observed in the domestic market.
"How is it possible that a kilo of tomatoes costs 20 pesos in ISSSTE stores and 80 pesos at Walmart? Something is off, because if anything, prices should be high everywhere," the president questioned during a press meeting.
The current price landscape is being impacted by general inflation in Mexico, which reached 4.59% annually in March, according to INEGI data. However, food inflation recorded a higher increase, sitting at 5.78% during the same period.
The global context is also putting pressure on basic basket costs. According to reports from Expansión, uncertainty surrounding the conflict between Israel and the United States against Iran is driving energy cost tensions. In this regard, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has urged a resolution to the conflict to protect global food security.
Currently, the cost per kilogram of tortillas shows significant regional disparities according to the National System for Market Information and Integration. While prices in areas such as Aguascalientes, Chiapas, and Guanajuato hover around 22 pesos, in locations like Mexicali, Acapulco, and Tepic, the value reaches 30 pesos. In Mexico City and the State of Mexico, averages sit at 21.70 and 20.29 pesos, respectively.
