The Mexican agriculture and livestock industries have opposed the country’s potential free trade agreement (FTA) with Brazil, Peru and Colombia, reported website Portafolio.com.co.

The main associations representing the sectors expressed their ‘total refusal’ of the Mexican government’s FTA plans, which also include an expansion of an existing Colombian agreement, the story reported.

Mexico's economic minister Bruno Ferrari has come under fire from local agricultural associations

In a statement released to local media the associations accused Mexico’s economic minister Bruno Ferrari of taking a ‘unilateral position’ that ignored ‘serious arguments supported by technical, scientific and economic studies’, the story reported.

The statement highlighted that Peru has various pests and diseases that do not exist in Mexico, while an agreement with Brazil would mean the loss of millions of jobs and the ‘total collapse’ of productive sectors, according to Portafolio.

The story said the associations behind the statement include the National Rural Confederation (CNC), the National Confederation of Livestock Organizations (CNG), the National Confederation of Rural Property Owners (CNPR), the National Agricultural Council (CAN) and the Mexican Association of Agricultural Development Secretaries.

Photo: www.presidencia.gob.mx

Source: www.freshfruitportal.com