The Mexican government announced a ban on the use of 35 pesticides classified as “highly hazardous” due to their risks to human health and the environment. The measure will take effect one day after the decree is published in the Official Gazette.
According to Agriculture Secretary Julio Berdegué, this represents the most extensive ban of its kind in the country’s history. The last major restriction occurred in 1991, when 21 molecules were prohibited.
The pesticides included in this first group are listed under international agreements such as the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions, of which Mexico is a member. Authorities noted that these substances are already banned in several countries with which Mexico maintains active food trade.
Among the restricted products are carbofuran, previously used in coffee, cotton, and avocado; endosulfan, prohibited in at least 50 countries; and DDT, banned worldwide since the 1970s.
The Agriculture Secretary stated that a second group of banned pesticides will be announced in the first half of 2026, followed by a third in 2027. The initiative aims to promote cleaner, more sustainable, and safer agricultural practices.
Source: El Financiero
