Mexico says renegotiating NAFTA is good for agricultural sector

Mexico's Minister of Agriculture, Jose Calzada, said on

Wednesday that the upcoming renegotiation of the North American Free

Trade Agreement (NAFTA) deal with the US and Canada will be positive for

the Mexican agricultural sector.

"In the discussion

of the renegotiation of NAFTA, Mexico's agricultural sector will do well

as it is the most important (sector) that we have, namely the capacity

of our producers," he pointed out.

Speaking at an

event in Guadalajara to inaugurate the city's new cargo route to

Vancouver, Canada, Calzada said that Mexico would not ask for any

concessions or preferential treatment as it believes it is good to

compete with its partners.

The US government confirmed Wednesday that the

renegotiations will begin on August 6, with the first round of talks

lasting five days in Washington.

The three countries

will revise NAFTA at the request of Trump, who has blamed the deal for

closing factories and costing jobs to American workers.

However,

Calzada said that Mexico was at a disadvantage in terms of technology

and innovation compared to its two partners, but that this gap has

narrowed in 23 years due to the will of Mexican producers to develop as

well as favorable public policies.

Mexico is now the

12th largest food producer in the world and its agricultural exports

grew 11 percent in 2016, arriving in over 150 countries.