Sonora's Dairy Producers Challenge Unregulated Milk Imports

In the southern region of Sonora, specifically the Yaqui Valley, dairy producers are battling to maintain production levels despite a reduction in their cattle population. According to Jorge Alaniz Campoy, president of the regional Association of Milk Producers, the volume of raw milk has been sustained thanks to the efforts and efficiency of the remaining farmers. However, the sector faces significant threats fr om unregulated imports of foreign dairy products, particularly milk powder.

The influx of these imported products, often sold at lower or subsidized prices, has put downward pressure on the price of domestic raw milk. This situation undermines the profitability and investment capacity of local farms, posing a risk to the industry's sustainability. Alaniz Campoy has issued an urgent call to federal authorities to implement regulatory mechanisms to curb this external competition.

Without effective import controls, there is fear among farmers that their efforts to maintain production will be in vain, leading to the potential collapse of the dairy industry in the Yaqui Valley. Such a collapse could have severe socio-economic consequences for the state of Sonora.

This local issue is part of a broader global trend wh ere primary producers struggle to survive amidst price volatility and aggressive international markets. The Sonora milk industry requires a commercial protection scheme to compete on equal terms or at least ensure a purchase price that covers the high input and operating costs in northwestern Mexico.