Mexico calls for Mesoamerican countries to unite to influence coffee prices

The Mexican Government proposed the creation of a body that would participate in and influence the process of setting the international price of coffee at the 17th Summit of the Tuxtla Mechanism, held from 21 to 23 August. The Summit was attended by representatives of Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama. Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development Víctor Villalobos said the Mesoamerican nations are major producers of quality coffee that is consumed worldwide, but at a low cost that does not correspond to the work done by the coffee producers, who are mostly small-scale coffee farmers. “In a complex international context, it is our responsibility to strengthen the region in order to promote sustainable development, create opportunities for our more than 233 million citizens and foster an authentic integration that connects us in our shared geography, history and culture, in addition to our challenges and opportunities,” Villalobos says, on behalf of President López Obrador. Mexico will present a plan at the next meeting of the Central American Agricultural Council – to be held in Mexico from 5 to 6 September – to demonstrate that the quality of the region's coffee is not being fairly priced, which affects the social and economic development of the Mesoamerican nations. Mexico also called for international cooperation based on shared responsibility to address the causes and effects of migration with a Comprehensive Development Plan. The plan is a joint effort that will create sustainable development and opportunities for the region, and make migration an option, not a necessity. After announcing that Mexico would host the 2021 Summit, Villalobos said the group had to redouble its efforts to fulfil the promise of a better future, and to continue driving Mesoamerican prosperity by reducing the developmental lag and strengthening regional capacities. Follow Global Coffee Report on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter for up-to-date news and analysis of the global coffee industry.