Lemon producers face serious economic and security difficulties. Although the sale price of lemon in the market can reach 52 pesos per kilogram, farmers receive only 50 cents per kilo, which has caused a crisis in the sector.
Josué Jaib, an influencer who owns several hectares of lemon, denounced through a video on his social networks that, due to low remuneration, many are forced to destroy their harvest, despite the high production costs, such as irrigation and insecticides. In the video, he criticizes the situation: “Great lemons that are going to end up spoiling because there is no price. We prefer that they rot than that there is no price.”
The low payment to producers is aggravated by various factors, including floods and insecurity.
In Michoacanthe leading state in lemon production, farmers face extortion from organized crime groups, which has caused an increase in attacks and threats to citrus growers.
On October 20, the leader and producer Bernardo Bravo was murdered in Apatzingán, after having denounced the payment of rent by criminals. Bravo, who was president of the Association of Citrus Growers of the Apatzingán Valley, had warned about the growing extortion suffered by producers, which finally cost him his life. With him, there are already five producers murdered in the last year.
Los Viagras, Los Caballeros Templarios and Los Blancos de Troya are some of the organizations that operate in the region, demanding fees from producers for the right to market their harvest.
Francisco Jiménez Reynoso, an academic at the UdeG, regretted that, despite the efforts of the authorities, violence and extortion continue to be unsolved problems in the region. “The rule of law is lost and organized crime grows.”
According to the National Agricultural Council, 20% of the cost of agri-food products, including lemons, is destined to pay extortions.
The Secretary of Security, Omar García Harfuchannounced yesterday that strategic actions will be reinforced to guarantee the security of the sector and protect lemon producers. In turn, he called on citizens to report criminal acts through a secure telephone line: 089.
In a meeting with local authorities, held in Apatzingán, Harfuch pointed out that “by instruction of President Claudia Sheinbaum, and with the objective of reducing illegal acts against the citrus sector in the State,” it was agreed to increase and reinforce intelligence work. And regarding the murder of the lemon leader, he indicated that the investigations continue and that “it will not go unpunished.”
CT
The post Organized crime: Limoneros face threats; Harfuch reinforces security plan in Michoacán appeared first on Veritas News.
