Chihuahua Dairy Farmers Request Milk Price Increase
Dairy farmers in the Centro-Sur region of Chihuahua, which includes municipalities such as Delicias, Meoqui, and Rosales, have formally requested an increase in the price of milk by one peso per liter. This would raise the current base price from 10.50 pesos to 11.50 pesos per liter. The request comes as producers aim to improve profit margins, despite recent improvements in production costs and weather conditions.
Juan Carlos Flores, head of the Livestock Department of the State's Rural Development Secretariat, confirmed the request, noting that while operating conditions have improved compared to the previous cycle, profit margins remain tight. Farmers argue that the increase is necessary to capitalize on their production units.
The commercialization of milk in Chihuahua is heavily linked to institutional purchase programs like 'Leche para el Bienestar'. This program provides a government-guaranteed price subsidy of around five pesos per liter, depending on the farm profile and product quality. However, livestock groups indicate that this support does not fully cover the accumulated rise in fixed operational costs.
Unlike the severe drought experienced in 2025, the region has seen much more favorable weather conditions in 2026, with recent rainfall aiding in the recovery of native pastures and reducing the need for emergency forage purchases. Additionally, the overproduction of corn in the United States has lowered costs for imported grain and energy concentrates, contributing to the reduction of marginal costs per liter produced.
Despite these reductions in the cost of feed inputs such as alfalfa and corn, farmers stress the need for a price adjustment to offset inflationary fluctuations affecting the rest of the supply chain. In response to the request, the State Government of Chihuahua continues to offer complementary direct assistance programs, including the provision of dairy concentrate feed and contingency support to stabilize financial margins for medium and small-scale operations.
The Centro-Sur region is a key dairy-producing area in Chihuahua, hosting the largest concentration of milking cattle in the state. This production strength positions Chihuahua as the third-largest milk producer in Mexico, underscoring its importance in the supply of fluid raw materials. Achieving a balance between costs and selling prices will be crucial to maintaining the competitiveness of its dairy farms against imported input supplies.
