Veracruz Hires Ernesto Cruz to Raise Maize Yields

Veracruz’s administration, led by Rocío Nahle García, has formalised the appointment of Mexican agronomist Ernesto Cruz González as technical adviser for the state’s agricultural strategy. Cruz has international experience and has received awards for high grain productivity. His work will focus on updating agronomic practices across commercial and ejido plots in several regions.

The programme seeks to lift harvests substantially above the levels commonly recorded in rain-fed production. Those regional yields generally range from two to three metric tonnes per hectare. The state says the initiative will initially concentrate on maize, while a later phase is intended to transfer the methods to sugar cane and other strategically important basic grains.

Implementation is planned for major farming basins on Veracruz’s coastal plain and in the south of the state. These valleys supply cattle operations, and the programme will include districts around Jesús Carranza, Las Choapas, Minatitlán and Isla. Field technicians are expected to examine the physical and microbiological condition of soils, establish balanced fertilisation plans and set planting densities according to local microclimates.

The agricultural work will also include integrated pest management and measures to retain soil moisture. The programme links higher-yielding plots with milk collection centres and community warehouses, covering storage and supply logistics in rural areas. The stated objective is to provide both grain and green forage with high digestibility for dual-purpose cattle herds, including during extended dry periods.

Feed costs are a significant part of dairy and beef production in the region. The source says balanced feed can account for as much as 70% of the operating budget associated with each litre of milk produced in feedlots. Maize silage is described as the main energy component of rations for dairy cattle. Higher local output is intended to make forage grain available to livestock farms at more stable costs, while supporting local milling plants.

The Secretariat of Agricultural, Rural and Fisheries Development will coordinate financing arrangements with federal agencies. These arrangements are intended to give producers access to certified seed, biostimulant fertilisers and suitable farm machinery. The article also links increased maize production with formal milk sales at collection centres operating under a guaranteed price of 11.50 pesos per litre.