Overview
- Torrential rains and flooding this year damaged crops nationwide, with more than 37,000 acres lost according to government figures.
- Mexico City’s mayor said up to 2 million cempasúchil plants were at risk even as producers reached a record 6 million plants for the season.
- Growers reported losing roughly 30% to 50% of their harvests and paying more for pesticides and fertilizers, turning slim margins into losses.
- A government facility, Toxinachcal, is conserving native seed variants, including about 20 types of cempasúchil, to supply more resilient options to producers.
- Holiday demand stayed strong, with merchants estimating a 7% sales increase and warning that unauthorized vendors are undercutting permitted sellers.