Insurance Protection For Ranchers In Mexico



by Dean Prater


The Mexican government has pledged to expand its relief fund for natural disasters after dealing with a tough drought over the last few months. The Agriculture Secretariat of Mexico declares that the current drought is the most extreme throughout the last 70 years. As per a Latino.Foxnews.com report, the 2012 budget will record a rise of 185% as compared to the 2011 budget. The Mexican NDMP (Natural Disaster Management Program) will preserve a budget for a minimum of 3 billion pesos which roughly measures up to 226 million USD. This rise in disaster management funds is welcome news for all considering to live in mexico.

Mexico's plan for 2012

Representatives from the Mexican Agriculture Secretariat announced the government's strategy to allocate roughly seventeen billion pesos for next year. This news was made official during an assembly with the Mexican Council for Sustainable Rural Development (CMDRS) recently. CMDRS is a unique group started by farmers, legislators in addition to other grassroots groups. The seventeen billion peso budget shall be devoted to the Disaster Prevention and Management Program for 2012. The program will try and support those groups impacted by natural disasters with insurance, advertising and marketing aid, revenue support and also other mandatory tools.

Current distribution of relief funds

Thus far, the federal government has assisted these groups by providing insurance for in excess of four million livestock and eight million hectares of land. Currently, owners of over three million cows can buy food supplements through this insurance. Based upon a recent report by the Agriculture Secretariat, the Mexican government also has furnished insurance protection worth over 776 million pesos to ranchers. Roughly measuring up to 57 million USD, the insurance has been able to dispense food supplements for roughly 2 million animals.

After effects of the 2011 drought

The Social Development Secretariat of Mexico added that the country is presently suffering from one of the very worst droughts since 1941. Approximately 2.5 million people in the country are desperate for water supplies. The states most gravely impacted in Mexico are Zacatecas, Chihuahua, San Luis Potosi, Coahuila and Durango. It is estimated by the Mexican government that not less than 42,000 cows have already been lost as a result of the drought however the National Peasants Confederation claims that the quantities are at least ten times higher. The Agriculture Secretariat also remarks that almost 963,000 hectares of various crops were damaged due to the drought along with the cold wave.

How the crop yield is affected

Mexico is among the leading producers of corn on the globe and is known to generate crops amounting to 25 million tons each year. The estimated yield of 23 million has now come down to 20 million as several farmers suffer from the drought. With the recent insurance plans in action, Mexico can expect to yield maximum crops by next year. The drought has in addition contributed to price inflation of foodstuffs. The costs of tortillas and chilies have experienced substantial price rises. The natural disaster funds released by the Mexican government will certainly bring some respite to farmers within the next several months, in addition to restore prices to normalcy.




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