Manufacturers reported a reduction of 70% compared to the previous harvest season and estimate a drop in exports this year.
AGEXPORT estimates a 40% decrease in the volume of honey projected for the current season.
From a press release issued by the Guatemalan Association of Exporters (AGEXPORT):
The Beekeeping Committee at AGEXPORT has expressed its state of alarm over the current difficulties facing the beekeeping industry nationally, due to a drastic reduction in the volumes of honey which has been harvested to date, compared with the harvest during the last season.
During 2013, exports grew by 7% and the main destinations are still the U.S. and Europe.
During 2013 pineapple production increased by 7% compared to 2012, generating sales of $834 million. Fruit exports went from 2% of total goods exported in 2000 to 7.3% last year, according to the Foreign Trade Promotion Office(Procomer).
According to the National Chamber of Pineapple Producers and Exporters (Canapep), the USA is the main destination for Costa Rican fruit, where 50% of exports are shipped."The second biggest buyer is the EU zone where 47% is sold, followed by other countries such as Chile and some Caribbean islands. In addition, other markets are opening up in the Middle East. "
Africa and Taiwan are two of the new destinations where 200,000 quintals from the 2014 harvest will be exported.
The eight sugar mills operating in Honduras expect to export 200,000 of the 12 million quintals to be produced during the 2013-14 harvest which began in November. "This figure is in addition to the quota exported to the European Union as part of the Association Agreement with the bloc, which came into force in August," noted an article in Laprensa.hn.
Ten years ago 5 containers a month were exported whereas now there are eight to ten per week, going to markets such as the Caribbean and the U.S.
During the first ten months of 2013 revenues of $5.3 million were reported, reflecting a recovery of 7% compared to the same period last year, according to the Foreign Trade Promotion Office (Procomer).
Nicaraguan coffee exports to Taiwan have increased sixfold compared to the previous year.
Throughout 2012-2013 coffee harvest sales to the Asian nation totaled $3.18 million, exceeding the $461,000 generated in the last harvest.
The information was confirmed by the Center for Export Procedures (CETREX).
Ingrid YW Hsing, the ambassador of Taiwan in Nicaragua, said Nicaraguan Coffee consumption in Taiwan is growing every year and the outlook is that it will "keep growing."
In October, exports of the grain increased by 6% compared to the same month in 2012 with 3 million bags each weighing 60 kilos, however income decreased, standing at $463.6 million.
Data from the Council of Brazilian Coffee Exporters (CeCafé) reveals that between January and October, 25.6 million bags of coffee were sold, 13.7% more than in the same period in 2012. However, income also decreased, by 15.7% giving a total of $4,357,000.
The entry into force of the FTA with the European Union opens up opportunities for Colombia products such as lemons, Tahiti, papaya, cantaloupe and watermelons.
From an article by the Costa Rican Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER):
With the entry into force of the FTA between the EU and Colombia, as of August 2013, the Colombian are looking to to venture much further into markets such as the German one, because one of the signs of the growing deamand in Europe is that 46% of imports which arrived at Frankfurt airport, which weighed 98,600 in 2012, were for fruit and vegetables.
Once the end of the 2013-2014 crop season has finished 1.2 million pounds of black beans will have been sold to Venezuela.
"A larger effort has been devoted to the production of black beans for export, due to the security afforded by the market agreement between the governments of Venezuela and Nicaragua," said the president of the National Union of Farmers and Ranchers (UNAG), Alvaro Fiallos, alluding to the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA).
Nicaragua is able to sell 10,163 metric tons duty free to the EU.
Altogether, the Central America's total export quota adds up to 150,000 tons.
Mario Salaverria, president of the Sugar Association of El Salvador said the decision to sell the sugar was due to "uncertainty about the problem they had with Italy and that delivery times won't allow them to make the most of this access."
Projections are of $159 million in exports by the 25 companies that make up the Nicaraguan tobacco industry.
Commercial and financial entities expect tobacco sales abroad to increase, with supply which includes world class cigars.
Prensa-latina.cu reports: "Central Bank calculations and the Directorate General of Customs Services state that industry sales (including the operations of those in free zones) could represent 4% of national exports in 2013."
During the 2013-14 harvest ending on October 31 490,000 metric tons of sugar were exported while in the previous harvest the amount was 412,000 MT.
According to the Sugar Association of El Salvador , the main destinations of the country's raw sugar are the USA, Chile, Russia, Taiwan and Canada. Meanwhile, the refined product is sold to the Netherlands, Chile, Taiwan and other Caribbean countries .
The country imports 90% of flowers demanded making it the second biggest buyer of the product within the European Union.
A statement from the Foreign Trade Promotion Office of Costa Rica (PROCOMER) reads:
In the UK there is a population of nearly 63 million people with high absorption capacity and a culture of acquisition of flowers, which determines that this country is the second largest importer of flowers and ornamental foliage within the European Union.
The total value of sales decreased slightly compared to the previous crop due to low prices paid on the international market.
During the first 11 months of the 2012-13 crop 2.4 million quintals of coffee have been exported, compared to 1.9 million quintals in the previous harvest.
These figures were provided by the Center for Export Procedures (CETREX). Revenue however, declined by 0.3%.
Nicaragua and Honduras are allowed to sell 65,000 more metric tons duty-free to the European Union.
The country has given approval for both Nicaragua and Honduras to receive this benefit temporarily, until the trade agreement becomes effective for Guatemala. "The Council of Ministers of Economy and Trade for Central America (Comieco) gave authorization this weekend for each country in the region to be able to make available its quotas at will" reported Nicaraguahoy.info.
The auction to place 17,000 tons with 35 European buyers was annulled because of an inability to meet deadlines.
The information was confirmed by Mario Amador, general manager of the National Committee of Sugar Producers (CNPA). "... The auction in which Nicaragua and Honduras intended to sell about 17 thousand tons to 35 European buyers from 10 business houses set up in different countries, could not be completed because of non compliance with certain technical conditions ...", reported Elnuevodiario.com.ni.