Dairy Farmers in Quintana Roo Challenge Liconsa Collection Center Plans

In 2025, Liconsa, the federal government's milk supply program in Mexico, announced the installation of a milk collection center in the southern region of Quintana Roo, specifically in the community of Nicolás Bravo. The center is planned to have a capacity to collect up to 5,000 liters of milk daily. The initiative, backed by local authorities and the federal delegate of Liconsa, is seen as an opportunity to strengthen the marketing and profitability of the regional dairy sector.

The project includes the installation of collection tanks at strategic points and the creation of refrigeration centers to preserve raw milk before it is transported to a pasteurization plant under construction in Campeche. This infrastructure theoretically aims to improve the prices paid to local producers.

Despite these plans, some local dairy farmers have expressed disagreement with the initiative, citing structural challenges in the dairy sector that extend beyond the establishment of a collection center. Past evaluations of the sector highlighted a lack of institutional and market support, with reports of limited local fresh milk commercialization and abandoned collection centers.

Many producers argue that the regional dairy market has traditionally operated with direct sales to cheese manufacturers, and the lack of infrastructure is a barrier to stable fresh milk production. Concerns were also raised about whether the current milk production capacity is sufficient to sustain a continuous collection center, as most of the product is already directed to artisanal cheese businesses.

Ultimately, the debate between farmers and authorities reflects a tension prevalent in emerging dairy regions: while the government seeks to expand formal marketing and collection mechanisms, producers demand market guarantees, better prices, and comprehensive technical support before fully committing to a scheme they consider inadequate for local production realities.