Mexican president defends NAFTA despite protests

Mexican President Felipe Calderon defended a regional trade deal on 
Monday even as farm groups were mounting protests against an expected 
flood of cheap U.S. agricultural goods since all tariffs ended 
January 1.

At the start of the year Mexico lifted 14 years of protection for 
corn, beans, milk and sugar under the North American Free Trade 
Agreement (NAFTA) that took effect in 1994. The regional trade pact 
groups Mexico, the United States and Canada.

The move will allow the United States, the world's biggest corn 
producer, to sell more to the country that claims to have discovered 
the grain.

Some Mexican farmers say competing against highly subsidized U.S. 
goods could put thousands out of work on top of about 2 million 
Mexican farm jobs lost over the last decade.

But Calderon said increased trade integration with the United States 
and Canada was the only way to strengthen Mexico's economy.

"The free trade agreement, negotiated almost 15 years ago, has its 
pros and cons, but overall it has benefited the country," Calderon 
said in a speech.

He said that instead of loosing jobs, Mexican farmers could benefit 
from the trade deal.

"There are more, and better-paid, jobs than in 1994 in the sectors 
linked to the treaty," said Calderon.

"Countries in the region now buy almost five times as many Mexican 
farm products than in 1994," said Calderon. "We are the second 
largest providers of agricultural goods to the United States and the 
third largest to Canada," he said.

But farmers complain they have not received enough support from the 
government since NAFTA was signed and say they will continue protest 
marches this month against the trade opening.

Congress last week urged the president to consider revising the 
treaty to protect farmers.

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