Mexico’s Top Agronomist Slams Corn Farmers

Mexico — Mexican agronomist Ernesto Cruz González, an international reference in corn cultivation who achieved the world yield record of 44.04 tons per hectare, has leveled sharp criticism at producers in his own country. In an interview with Agrofy News, Cruz, a globally recognized specialist for his contributions to high-yield agriculture, stated that Mexican producers "do not know how to sow" and lack precision, despite having access to technology.

Cruz's work combines research, innovation, and precision agronomic practices, inspiring producers in various countries to improve their productivity through a comprehensive vision based on profitability, quality, and sustainability.

A Record of Achievement and a Blunt Assessment

During his dialogue, Cruz explained that achieving high yields depends on "each condition, each climate, each yield goal," and identified transversal problems like soil compaction, which he described as being "at a God level." He was highly critical of the practices in Mexico. "They have technology but they do not know how to calibrate it," he asserted during his participation in the International Corn Congress, where he spoke on a panel titled "The Largest Corn in the World."

Cruz recounted his path to the world record, beginning in 1992 when his team first surpassed 10 tons per hectare. A decade later, in 2002, they harvested 22.4 tons. "That was when the Chinese offered us a challenge: to plant corn. There we passed 22.7 tons per hectare. It was then that proposals arrived to work on millions of hectares in China," Cruz began. He then detailed his proudest achievement: "The world record in China was 44.04 tons per hectare. If one producer can do it, another can surpass it."

Genetic Development and Argentine Potential

The Mexican specialist also detailed his work as an entrepreneur, noting that he has been developing genetics for eight years in one of his projects and estimates they will be on the market in two years. "We have our own microbiology laboratory. We have our own amino acid plant," he indicated.

Cruz has been intermittently in Argentina for just over two years, evaluating that there are great possibilities for growth. He provided a specific example: "Through working together, a friend in Río Negro was at 8 tons per hectare and dreamed of reaching 15. After two years, he averages 18 tons per hectare. In Córdoba we have a similar case. And we still have many things to improve. Argentina has great potential: we can double production," he emphasized.

He made it clear that every square inch is different and must be measured because "what is not measured cannot be improved."

Challenges of Climate Change and a New Agricultural Paradigm

Simultaneously, Cruz reviewed the challenges facing the industry: "We face climate change and lose millions of hectares every year. We have to adapt to the shifting climates. In some events it rains 140 millimeters and we have to adjust, but new pests and diseases also appear. The technology revolution is key. We have to use these tools to make decisions."

The Mexican expert emphasized that the farmer's patrimony is in the soil, water, and environment: "It is not a fad, we have to develop friendly systems."

To conclude, Ernesto Cruz focused on the business of agriculture. "In agriculture we have new paradigms. First, you have to understand that this is a business and it is maintained with profitability. Second, we have to have quality. Quality is the secret to quantity. High yield is a series of processes and protocols of continuous improvement. It has to do with being obsessive with every detail of production. The cost we must reduce is the one corresponding to the ton produced, not the cost per hectare," concluded the Mexican specialist.

Knowledge Transfer in Argentina

During his time in Argentina, Cruz also shared his expertise with agricultural producers, technicians, and companies in Suipacha, province of Buenos Aires, on how to increase production through the sum of small details that lead to high yield.

More than 260 people filled the Sociedad Rural de Suipacha to hear Cruz's theoretical exposition. The following day, around 170 attendees moved to the "El Hogar" establishment of La Alicia Agropecuaria for a field experience. Many participated in both instances, combining technical training with practical fieldwork.

During his address, Cruz was blunt: "Improving yield is the sum of doing many things well." He also highlighted that Argentine producers have fertile soils, with only a few decades of agricultural use, unlike other countries where land has been cultivated for thousands of years. "That condition places Argentina in a privileged position to achieve high yields," he underscored.

In Argentina, the average corn yield is around 8 to 10 tons per hectare, evidencing a vast gap compared to the record achieved by Cruz. In this sense, the specialist added that the country has conditions and quality soils, but there is still much to do to raise productivity.

Cruz also remarked that agriculture must be sustained on three fundamental pillars: profitability, quality, and sustainability. "If it is not profitable, it does not work; and quality is what ensures that quantity comes on its own," he affirmed.

Besides his visit to Suipacha, on this tour of Argentina, Ernesto Cruz visited AIANBA (Asociación de Ingenieros Agrónomos de la Zona Norte de la Provincia de Buenos Aires), where he shared a meeting with professionals and participated as a speaker at the International Corn Congress, thus expanding his exchange with sector leaders.

With Suipacha as the epicenter, the event left a powerful message: increasing corn yields in Argentina is possible, and the path to high yield begins in every small detail. Cruz's visit made it clear that the country has everything it needs to lead in productivity, provided it can integrate knowledge, technology, and passion into every stage of cultivation.