Diario las Américas., 1958-05-10
Know thv
Nei9hbof
Nv ANTONIO RUIZ

MEXICO The agricultural
output of Mexico has been in the
upgrade for several decades. Har'
vested areas have increased more
than 80 per cent, a quarter OF
this increase due to the cultiva'
ton of newly irrigated lands. The
volume of agricultural output is
about 100 per cent greater now
than in 1910. The presence of a
large potential consuming popula
ton acts as a stimulus to the de-
velopment of agricultural land
This huge market is being made
increasingly accessible by the ex'
panding networks of railroads and
highways.
The attitude of the Government
towards agriculture has been ex.
c~eptionally favorable during the
last few decades; among the pro
jects undertaken are the extension
Of agricultural credits to farmers,
the promotion of irrigation pro-
jects in Semi-arid and arid regions,
mass education in rural areas, and
the division of lands.
Corn, Mexico's most important
staple food and leading agricultur-
al crop in production, is cultivat-
ed in almost every section of the
Republic Because climatic condi-
tons vary greatly in the several
contrasting areas, many different
types are grown, each b~otanically
suited to its particular region.
With a total area of more than
four million hectares devoted to
this crop, annual production aver
ages over 100000 tons. The corn
crop is not sufficient, however, to
meet consumption requirements
and some imports are necessary.
Beans and gar 20 S (chick'
peas) are also produced through.
out Mexico. Cotton is the most i'm.
portant product in Mexico from
the standpoint Of value. The prin'
cipal areas of cotton production
r Matamoros and La Laguna, in
the State of Durango, as we'll as
Coahuila and Mexicali. Most OF
Mexico's cotton is consumed by
The ever %expansirg textile indus.
try of the country.
Henequen fiber, or sisal, is an
important raw material for the
manufacture of Irvine 1t is cul.
tivated almost exclusively in the
peninsular states of Yucatan and
Campeche, wnere the limestone
soil and the warm, humid climate
of the southern lowlands provide
unsurpassed conditions for the
growing of henequen.
Wheat one of the most import.
ant of staple Mexican foods, is
widely cultivated in the irrigated
lands of the upper levels of the
Central Plateau, especially in the
Laguna district, in the Yaqui Val
ley on he West Coast, and in the
states of Michoacan, Guanajuato
and Sonora. The production OF
about one million metric tons is
not sufficient to meet the demand.
Other important grain crops are
rice and barley.
Chicle a crude gum derived
from the sapodilla tree used in the
manufa cture of chewing gum, is
gathered throughout the area ex-
tending from the Tuxpan district
in Northern Veracruz, through
Quintans Roo. the largest produ.
Ger and as far as the southern por-
ton of the State of Campeche. The
sapodilla tree which grows wild
throughout this region, must be
located by exploring forests. Near
ly all of the chicle produced is
exported to the United States.
Coffee Mexico's second ranking
agricultural export commodity is
produced in the Caribbean coastal
states of Veracruz Chiapas, and
Oaxaca, on inland plantations To-
Gated at a moderate altitude. Vera.
cruz alone accounts for more than
so per cent of the total produc-
ton. Alb )ut 10 per cent of the cof-
fee produced in Mexico is export
ed, the United States being the
principal purchaser.
Spanish Version Page 3