ABSTRACT
The chapter turns to the trade roles for the agricultural industry. Nature and man have treated the potential for agriculture in Mexico harshly. The regional distribution of agricultural PIB, measured as proportion of Producto Interno Bruto (PIB) in agriculture for each state, is concentrated in the north central as well as in Chihuahua, Michoacan, and Oaxaca. The strong state differences over the 23 years emphasize the many forces impinging on the size and extent of agriculture in Mexico, including urbanization, competition from the tourism sector, the private sector, and federal government initiatives. A discussion of influences upon agriculture in Mexico covers a wide range of topics, including globalization and North American Free Trade Agreement. Roughly half of the agricultural sector is corporate, which underscores that Mexican agriculture is shared by huge numbers of small farms and production units. Some of Mexico's most serious problems arise from the physical environment within which its inhabitants live and work.
