During the period January-July 2012-2013 production increased from 1.2392 million to 1.3074 million boxes of bananas.
However, export revenues were down 13% from $2.2 million in the first eight months of 2012 to $1.9 million in the same period of 2013. The decrease is due to the decrease in the international prices of bananas, according to the Center for Export Processing (CETREX).
Geisha, one of the finest varieties of coffee in Panama, has reached $374 a kilo, the highest price paid in the international market.
There are approximately 30 members of the Speciality Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP) who grow and export this product. "In high mountainous areas in the province of Chiriqui, located on the border with Costa Rica, some 400 miles west of Panama City, a nest of just over 40 farms grow, as well as Geisha, other varieties of fine Panamanian coffee such as Pacamara, Catuai, Caturra, Bourbon or Typica ", reported Prensa.com.
Two new plagues have damaged 50% of the current crop of potatoes in Guatemala causing prices to double, jumping from $15 to $30 per quintal.
The fleahopper and leaf miner pests, are currently affecting 50% of the potato crop in Guatemala. According to the Agriculture Minister Elmer Lopez the virus known as leafroller, has caused the contamination of 3000 of the 6000 acres that were expected this season.
The droughts effect on grain crops has made food prices more expensive around the world, and is affecting the economies of Central American countries.
According to an article in Americaeconomia.com there is an increasing threat of low crop yields in major U.S. agricultural states affected by drought and high temperatures recorded during the month of July.
After 30 days without any rain, losses are expected which will require increased imports of grain in order to supply the needs of local consumption and agribusiness.
If the dry period is prolonged until August 25, as the national weather service is predicting, about seven thousand acres of rice will be lost, said Fredy Torres, representing producers of the grain. The representative estimated economic losses of nearly $7 million.
The Brazilian coffee crop, which could amount to more than 50 million quintals of grain, could put prices back down again.
Faced with the prospect of a bumper crop of coffee in Brazil, Raul Amador Torres, a senior market analyst says, "The international price of coffee has improved a little and might be quoted at $190 per quintal, however, the trend is that it will go down again ... "
High prices of raw materials are discouraging Salvadorans farmers who are seeing the profitability of sowing grain greatly reduced.
"Lack of profitability due to increases in the price of raw materials for farming is the main reason why producers are wondering whether or not to plant a 2012-2012 crop, said Daniel Rivera, of the Salvadoran Association of Agricultural Producers from Usulután (Aspaud)", reports ElSalvador.com.
The rice lobby held firm and the price of rice will not fall, at least until stocks from the current harvest are exhausted.
Rice manufacturers must submit alternatives to the current fixed pricing system, within a period of one month.
Producers in the South blocked roads in order to pressure the government to keep the price of a sack of 73.6 kilos unchanged, a condition required by manufacturers for the purchase of the current crop.
The country has already seen 180,000 hundredweight of beans arrive on its shores this year, 40% more than in the same period in 2010, which has stabilized prices.
On April 20, 75% of the 90,000 hundred weight bean shipment will arrive, which have been purchased from China, according to Guillermo López Suárez, head of El Salvador's Agriculture and Farming Ministry (MAG in Spanish). The rest is due at the end of the month or the beginning of May.
While it is reported that official numbers on domestic consumption of corn are not consistent, it has been evident that supply in markets is beginning decrease.
Agriculture Minister, Juan Alfonso, calculated at 25 million bushels of corn the yearly consumption of Guatemalans, another report from its own ministry indicates that consumption of the main ingredient in tortillas reaches nearly 32 million bushels per year.
While coffee price continues to rise, Guatemalan coffee growers are confident they can cover shortages in other countries of Central America.
The president of the National Coffee Association, Ricardo Villanueva, said that demand from other countries suffering shortages like Costa Rica, El Salvador and Nicaragua, could be met without problems by Guatemala, where there is an estimated existence of 100.000 quintals of high quality coffee."
Corn shortage is adding to the already existing shortage of bean. Escalating international prices are threatening millions of poor Central Americans.
January global data shows that food prices continue to rise and are already surpassing the 2008 prices.
And while the Central American economies are benefiting in part by the increase, for example by increasing revenues from coffee and sugar exports, they have not secured supply of basic traditional consumer products such as wheat, corn and beans; the basic foods of poor population. The already high prices are worsened by poor harvests due to bad weather.
It hopes to collect 5 million quintals, at a time when the price of coffee futures is above $ 200.
The recovery of road infrastructure in bean producing regions will be vital to the success of the harvest, the volume positions Honduras as the largest Central American producer and third in America.
At the opening of 43rd Coffee Congress taking place in San Pedro Sula, Asterio Reyes, president of the Honduran Coffee Institute, IHCAFE said that Honduras, "according to statistics from the International Coffee Organization, is the only country which has always had rise in production, unlike other countries like Colombia, which has cut its production by around five or six million bags, Vietnam and others.”
According Anacafé, international grain buyers are delaying their purchases, waiting for prices to fall.
The international price of coffee is at record levels above $ 210 per bag. Directors of the National Coffee Association (Anacafe) explained that international buyers are expecting prices to fall and added that producers are finding it difficult to sell the product at these prices in the global market.
Domestic producers are seeking to reverse the shortage of grain present in the country and the region.
In the coming weeks, 70,000 hectares of beans will be planted, so that there is sufficient inventory starting December.
Laprensagrafica.com reports, "Nicaragua and other countries in the region face a severe shortage of red beans, as rains in the last month damaged crops and grain exporters prioritized their foreign sales.”