wheat valuation by far is the biggest crop in the Mexicali valley,which receives less than 4"/year precip-not an ideal candidate for irrigation,but wheat there is in fall winter so Velsheda wheat comes from elsewhere
Agricultural Value Chains in the Mexicali Valley of Mexico
The Mexicali Valley’s climate is characterized as extremely arid with rainfall rarely exceeding 100mm (4
inches) per year. Water used in the region is supplied by the Colorado River and regional aquifers.
As a result of the 1944 U.S.- Mexico International Water Treaty, Mexico is entitled to receive more than 1,850
million cubic meters (Mm3/year) of Colorado River water. According to a 2009 study, irrigated agriculture in
the Mexicali Valley is the largest water user in the region by using more than 2,000 Mm 3
/year compared to 86 Mm 3
/year and 200 Mm /year supplied for urban consumption for Mexicali and overall for Baja California urban consumption, respectively. 2
One of the main water management challenges is supplying water to the growing urban population in the Mexicali Valley while meeting the demand for water by agriculture. In Mexicali, agricultural production takes place throughout the year on a rotation basis. Crops are grown during a spring -summer cycle,
a fall- winter cycle, and perennially
. Wheat and green onions are cultivated in the fall-winter cycle.
Wheat is normally cultivated on the same fields as cotton on a rotation basis.
wheat, Alfalfa (29,907 ha.)
and asparagus (1,467 ha)are the major perennial crops grown in the Mexicali Valley.
In 2008, crops with the highest market value were wheat (1,766
million pesos),
alfalfa (862 million
pesos),
cotton (297
million pesos),
asparagus (226
million pesos
) and green onions (186
million pesos)
.