Exporters of farmed shrimp, tilapia, melons, Asian vegetables, pineapple, grapefruit, banana and cocoa are negotiating the entry of products into the European market.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
The United States is the main market due to its proximity, but with new technologies for food preservation, lengthening their lifespans by up to four weeks, it is expected that more distant markets will be reached.
Medardo Galindo, president of the Federation of Agro exporters of Honduras, said in an interview to the press that "... We are entering other markets such as Europe with the Treaty of Free Association. For over 30 years we have been duty-free in these countries, but these new treaties ratify the benefits. "
He added that "... 'Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama are the most direct competition we have; so we must produce at good quality with lower cost, provide cheaper freight and reduce fertilizer prices and taxes. '"
Companies participating in the SIAL show in Paris made purchase offer deals worth more than $1 million and generated new markets in Europe and South America for products such as chia, crackers and organic cocoa.
The event was attended by a delegation of 12 member from companies in the Association of Producers and Exporters of Nicaragua (APEN), and succeeded in opening new markets for non-traditional products and increase their knowledge of the European market for future business deals.
In the first five months of the year, Honduran exports of non-traditional products totaled $575 million.
According to the Honduran Central Bank's Foreign Trade Report, sales of non-traditional products totaled $1.27 billion in the period.
The general manager of the country's Federation of Agricultural Exporters (FPX) told Laprensa.hn that, "it's good news because it's important for Honduras to export more non-traditional products than coffee and bananas since prices of these fluctuate and non-traditional industries have historically had a buffering effect. However it is hoped that these products can increasingly take a more central role".
Exports of nontraditional products are growing at a faster pace than exports of traditional ones (coffee, banana, cardamom and sugar).
In 2009 total exports summed $7.23 billion. Of them, $5.41 billion corresponded to nontraditional goods (74.9%).
“Data from Banguat shows that in 1980 the country exported $1.52 billion, of which $633 million were traditional goods and $886.4 million were nontraditional ones (58.3%)”, reported Sigloxxi.com.
Honduras exported $2.32 billion in 2009; 55.7% corresponded to non traditional exports.
According to data from the Central Bank of Honduras (BCH), the remaining $1.29 billion correspond to products classified as 'traditional' (coffee and banana, for example).
"The drop recorded in coffee, banana, wood, lobsters, zinc, silver and lead was compensated with increases in gold, cultivated shrimp, melons and cigarettes", reported Laprensa.hn.
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