Protected Agriculture Units in Querétaro
Querétaro, Mexico – According to the latest Agricultural Census (CA) from 2022, Querétaro hosts 384 units of protected agriculture production, covering an area of 1,346 hectares.
Types of Protected Agriculture Structures
- 60.2% of the production area consists of greenhouses.
- Macro tunnels account for 8.8% of the area.
- Other structures, such as nurseries (0.9%), micro-tunnels (0.6%), shade nets (0.1%), and others, contribute less than 1% each.
Leading Crops in Protected Agriculture
Tomatoes are the primary crop produced under protected agriculture in Querétaro, followed by chili, cucumber, blueberries, strawberries, and apples.
The National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) reports that protected agriculture has grown nationwide due to its advanced technology and infrastructure, which enable better control of environmental factors and protection against pests or diseases.
Irrigation in Querétaro’s Agriculture
Querétaro has over 159,072 hectares of agricultural land, with 66.1% dedicated to temporary crops and 33.9% to irrigated farming.
Temporary agriculture relies solely on rainfall for crop development, while irrigated farming receives controlled water supply through hydrological works or other means, regardless of whether it was irrigated during the reference period.
Agricultural Land Usage
The Inegi census reveals that out of Querétaro’s 159,072 hectares of agricultural land, 85.8% is sown and 14.2% remains unsown.
- 72.2% of the unsown land is in rest, while 27.8% remains unsown due to factors like lack of credit, illness, insufficient resources, or the absence of planters.
Open-Sky Cultivation
Querétaro annually produces 913,251 tonnes of fodder corn across 14,460 hectares, making it the primary open-sky cultivated product. Additional open-sky crops include white grain corn, forage oats, tomatoes, broccoli, and onions.
For perennial crops (vegetables with a development period exceeding one year), the main products are alfalfa (494,748 tonnes), pasture grass, asparagus, agave, grapes, and oranges.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is protected agriculture? Protected agriculture involves growing crops using controlled environments, such as greenhouses or macro tunnels, to manage environmental factors and protect plants from pests or diseases.
- Why is protected agriculture important in Querétaro? Protected agriculture has grown in Querétaro due to its advanced technology and infrastructure, which enable better control of environmental factors and protection against pests or diseases.
- What are the main crops produced in Querétaro? The primary open-sky cultivated products are fodder corn and white grain corn, while perennial crops include alfalfa, pasture grass, asparagus, agave, grapes, and oranges.
