Globalization: Food in Mexico: A pricier tortilla

Food in Mexico: A pricier tortilla | The Economist: "... rising maize prices could force the price of tortillas up by 50%, the makers of the corn pancakes warned last month. That matters: maize remains central to Mexicans’ diet and culture. Each of them gets through 90 kilos of tortillas a year, in tacos, enchiladas or on their own. The price of tortillas worries economists as well, since they make up 1.2% of the consumer-price index.

After drought in 2009, Mexico produced a record maize crop of nearly 25m tonnes last year. Even so, the country relies on imports. The world price for maize is at its highest since mid-2008. Rises in the price of natural gas and electricity have also pushed up costs for tortilla manufacturers. ...

Any threat to the affordability of the tortilla worries the government, which four years ago faced street protests after a spike in prices. “Sin maíz, no hay país” (“without corn, there is no country”) is a popular slogan." Jan. 6,2011