Mexico: (Perote) Potato producers face frost and plummeting prices due to overproduction

Potato prices have been plummeting for   more than four months, and with them, incomes are decreasing, to the detriment of families in the villages of 20 de Noviembre; in the community of Los Pescados, the cold destroyed the corn crops.

According to farmers, they used to be paid around 300 pesos for a 25-kilo crate, but now they are only getting 120, apparently due to overproduction.

Farmers harvest amidst the cold, frost, and dense fog

Before 6:00 a.m. daily, farmers leave their homes to begin the potato harvest, amidst the cold and dense fog that has been common these days; the activities end before nightfall.

Meanwhile, in the village of 20 de Noviembre, the cultivation of potatoes, broad beans, and beans has been discontinued for about 10 years due to water scarcity, according to residents.

In that place, farmers are betting on corn, although they are also paid only 5 pesos per kilo.

The most serious issue, they add, is that this season their  corn crops  were lost due to frost, and now the producers will have to look for work "at whatever they can find" in order to support their families, they maintain.

Lots of production, but not enough customers

There is a lot of  production , but no customers, says farmer Tomas Lopez Hernandez, insisting that the price of potatoes is at rock bottom.

Potatoes are divided into four categories based on size. The largest is the first category, and the smallest is known as cambray.

The price also depends on the size and quality of the potato, although sometimes they want to pay 60 pesos per crate for the smallest ones, he says.

“I wish there were customers to take them away ,” he says, adding that the price of potatoes is more affordable in the countryside;  “here we sell to whoever asks for them.”

Before, the price of a fence was 300 pesos, and from there the price began to drop. In addition, there is no shortage of "coyotes" or intermediaries who offer lower payments.

Meanwhile, farmer Omar López says the market is saturated with potatoes and that’s why prices aren’t profitable.

He asks consumers to reflect on the price of potatoes and recognize that sometimes an industrialized bag of potato chips costs more than 20 pesos, when its contents do not exceed 100 grams.

Corn displaced the potato

“Before, potatoes were planted (in the ejido 20 de Noviembre), but water doesn’t come much anymore, and that’s why planting stopped ,” says farmer Fortino Domínguez.

The change in crops began about 10 years ago, and also included the displacement of broad bean and bean planting in the agricultural field of that place.

The water comes from streams that originate from the Cofre de Perote volcano, but it is only sufficient for the consumption of the inhabitants, he assures.

So far this cold season, low temperatures have affected corn crops in the ejido 20 de Noviembre.

The crops represented a source of income for the more than 100 families who live in that place.

However, when the grain crops are lost, farmers find themselves needing to look for other sources of income.