MEXICO CITY, MEXICO — Corn production in Mexico in 2018-19 has been revised downward due to lower harvested area, according to a Feb. 22 Global Agricultural Information Network report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The USDA forecast corn production to drop from 27,569,000 tonnes in 2017-18 to 25,750,000 in this marketing year.

Weather was a deciding factor in the USDA’s forecast decline in Mexican corn production.

“Official sources stated the rainy period was unseasonal and irregular, which adversely affected yields,” the USDA said. “Additionally, planted area was lower than initially anticipated in the 2018 spring/summer crop cycle. Sources stated that irregular rains in November prevented farmers from harvesting the grain on time in states such as Chiapas, the State of Mexico, and Puebla, among others, which reduced the expected yields.”

Mexico was the world’s sixth-largest corn producer in 2017-18.

Meanwhile, the USDA revised upward its forecast for 2018-19 Mexican rice production. The increase is due to larger-than-anticipated harvested area.

The USDA forecasts rice output at 290,000 tonnes, up from its previous estimate of 261,000 tonnes in 2017-18.

“Higher-than-expected planted area and favorable weather conditions in the main producing states, such as Campeche and Nayarit, have favorably influenced yields and consequently resulted in higher than expected production,” the USDA said.