Sugarcane Growers Lift Blockade: Will Establish Working Group with Mexican Agriculture Secretariat for Rescue Plan

ByJared Laureles

This article by Jared Laureles originally appeared in the November 12, 2025 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

Mexico City. After more than 30 hours of blockades in front of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER), and without reaching an agreement on their main demand, sugarcane growers agreed with Undersecretary Leonel Cota Montaño to establish a working group on Wednesday, November 19, to develop a rescue plan for the sugar sector.

After signing a seven-point agreement, which did not include their request for a subsidy of 300 pesos per ton of sugarcane, the producers of the Democratic Sugarcane Unity lifted the blockade of Municipio Libre Avenue in Mexico City.

After a meeting that lasted three hours, Ruperto Ruiz Cortés, a member of the negotiating committee, indicated that the working group will meet at 3:00 p.m. at the Sader headquarters to develop a support plan for small sugarcane producers, who he considered to be independent, and to define the economic support.

He indicated that the proposal will be to provide support both per ton and per hectare, but giving preference to those with less land.

He mentioned that the authorities stated that it is not appropriate “for us to use the term ‘subsidy’ because they think it is money to give away.”

The president of the September 9 Organization indicated that they will work on a proposal to know exactly the profile and how many sugarcane farmers in the country require support.

“Right now, the 300 pesos are not available; we need to present a proposal with figures to the President of the Republic and see how far she is willing to support the proposal we are going to make,” he explained.

The sugarcane growers’ representatives clarified that the agency’s proposal is to channel support to those with less than 5 hectares. However, they indicated that they will evaluate it, as producers with larger landholdings could also be considered.

They detailed that among the points they agreed with Undersecretary Cota Montaño is the publication of a new decree so that IMMEX industries no longer import sugar disguised as colorings and sweeteners.

They also noted that work is underway on a project to convert sugar into ethanol and the start of a financing program in Veracruz and Michoacán for the conversion of sugarcane varieties.

The minutes also included an agreement on a system of refinancing loans with an interest rate of 8.5 percent through FIRA with a ceiling of up to 1.3 million pesos.

Arturo Herviz Reyes, a member of the Democratic Sugarcane Unity, stated that while the agreement to increase the tariff on sugar imports to 156 percent is acknowledged, emphasis was placed on how the problems of the 2024-2025 harvest will be resolved.

Around 1 p.m., the sugarcane workers removed the blockade of Municipio Libre Avenue and Metrobús service was restored on Cuauhtémoc Avenue.