Mexico: Agricultural Biotechnology Annual

Mexico's biotechnology regulatory policy environment has become increasingly uncertain under the current administration. The government has not approved any applications for genetically engineered (GE) products for food and feed use since May 2018 and has not approved any permits for planting GE crops since 2019. The government has also denied or not provided a decision on 34 planting permit applications for GE cotton and denied one application for GE alfalfa. In February 2023, a new Corn Decree entered into force, replacing the December 2020 Corn Decree. The new Corn Decree imposes an immediate prohibition on the use of GE corn for “human consumption,” which the decree defines narrowly as corn used in Mexico’s masa and tortilla production. The uncertainty in the regulatory environment has made it difficult for businesses to invest in biotechnology in Mexico.