Mexico City, February 25 (Reuters) - Mexico's lower house of Congress approved a constitutional reform on Tuesday to prohibit the cultivation of genetically modified (GM) corn, creating potential conflict with the United States following a trade dispute resolution, analysts noted.
President Claudia Sheinbaum's initiative follows a ruling in December by a trade-dispute panel that Mexico's limitations on GM corn, primarily imported from the United States, violate the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
In response to the USMCA ruling, Mexico lifted its restrictions on the import of GM corn for human consumption, livestock, and industrial purposes.
Mexico, recognized as the birthplace of modern corn, had previously banned the commercial planting of GM corn strains, citing concerns about contamination of native varieties. Sheinbaum has now committed to enshrining this prohibition in the country's Constitution.
With the reform endorsed by 409 votes in favor and 69 opposed, native corn is hailed as a symbol of "national identity," while the cultivation of GM corn is officially prohibited in Mexico.
The reform stipulates that "Any other use of genetically modified corn must be evaluated ... to safeguard Mexico's biosecurity, health, and biocultural heritage."
The Senate will now review the reform for final approval.
Mexico purchases approximately $5 billion worth of U.S. GM corn annually, mainly for livestock feed.
Some analysts anticipate potential friction with the U.S. over the reform, which extends beyond cultivation to include the use of GM corn.
The Agricultural Markets Consulting Group (GCMA), a prominent consultancy in Mexico, expressed concerns about the Mexican government's stance against GM corn. They described the move as creating "uncertainty" in the relationship with the United States, the primary source of yellow corn imports used mainly for livestock feed.
In a recent report, GCMA warned that persisting with these restrictions following the adverse USMCA ruling could prompt retaliatory actions from the U.S. government.