From January to June 2020, banana exports amounted to 1,403 million, 14% more than what was reported for the same period in 2019, a rise that can be explained by the sales behavior of Honduran, Costa Rican, Panamanian and Guatemalan companies.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graphic"]
In Costa Rica, the deadline for employers to regularize the immigration status of workers who come to the country to work in agricultural activities was extended until October 22.
The decision was made not to extend the decree that allows employers to regulate the immigration status of workers who come to Costa Rica to work in agricultural activities.
The decree concerned is No. 42406-MAG-MGP and establishes that employers in the agricultural sector may regularize the immigration status of foreigners who entered the country between January 15, 2016 and January 15, 2020.
In Guatemala, approximately 75% of agricultural enterprises have reported liquidity problems in the context of the crisis generated by covid-19.
A study conducted by the Chamber of Agriculture (Camagro) states that during May, agricultural companies recorded income losses, a situation that can be explained by the quarantine decreed and the social isolation measures.
Reducing the electricity tariff, repealing the tax reform and creating financial relief regulations are part of the proposals of Nicaraguan producers to guarantee production in the current agricultural cycle.
The new 2020-2021 agricultural cycle is about to begin, and given the current covid-19 pandemic, it is urgent to guarantee optimal operation in all links that make up the country's agrifood chain, said the Nicaraguan Agricultural and Livestock Producers Union (Upanic).
Although several companies have been affected by the measures implemented by governments in the context of the Covid-19 crisis, Costa Rican exports of coffee, pineapple and bananas have so far not faced difficulties with logistics.
Directors of the Coffee Institute of Costa Rica (Icafé) indicated that so far there have been no problems with the availability of containers and that sales abroad are proceeding normally.
The Guatemalan Congress ratified the protocol of accession of Guatemala to the European Free Trade Association, formed by Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
This trade agreement is a complementary instrument for Guatemalan products such as vegetables, fruits, flowers, ornamental plants, honey, spices, oils, fish and differentiated products to have easier access to Europe.
Authorities from both countries defined the actions they must execute in terms of sanitary requirements, so that Panama can start exporting products such as pineapple, beef, coffee and cocoa, among others, to Israel.
The entry of these Panamanian products to the Israeli market is within the framework of the Free Trade Agreement between the two economies, which was signed in May 2018 and ratified by the National Assembly of Panama in October 2019.
The cultivation, processing and export of coconut and its derivatives, and the transformation of goat activity focused on the manufacture of personal care and health products, are some of the proposals for Costa Rican agriculture to generate greater added value.
A study conducted by FUNDES Strategy identifies new opportunities for Costa Rica's agricultural sector.
In October, the company Frutas Tropicales de Guatemala made the first shipment of Chinese peas and sweet peas to the Russian market.
This is the first shipment of fresh vegetables from Guatemala to the Russian market.
Directors of the company explained that the first shipment of peas was made indirectly, as it was made through Dutch and French companies, but in the short term they intend to establish direct relations with Russian distributors.
From January to September 2019, sales of the agricultural sector abroad totaled $2,080 million, 7% less than in the same period in 2018, mainly because of the performance of banana, pineapple and coffee exports.
Figures from the Foreign Trade Promoter (Procomer) detail that between the first nine months of 2018 and the same period of 2019, exports registered a slight increase, going from $8,490 million to $8,629 million.
Anticipating the effects of climate on crops and mitigating their impact is one of the benefits of using techniques to manage large volumes of information.
The agricultural industry is no stranger to the new reality focused on the analysis of large volumes of information and making business decisions based on data.
Just as in the industrial sector the analysis of large volumes of information can minimize costs and improve the performance of a production process, in agriculture the use of these tools allows, among other things, know exactly when a crop has reached its maximum level of hydration.
After last year's sales of grain abroad grew 19% compared to 2017, in the first eight months of 2019 Nicaraguan cocoa exports totaled $5.8 million, 48% more than in the same period of 2018.
Regarding the volume traded, the figures of the Exports Processing Center (Cetrex) that between January and August 2018 and the same period of 2019, the figure increased from 2,433 to 3,405 tons.
Honduran companies and authorities of both countries are agreeing on dates to review and endorse the phytosanitary measures of those interested in exporting the fruit.
According to the authorities of the National Agricultural Health Service (Senasa) of Honduras, the South American country presented days ago to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the phytosanitary requirements for the import of melon from the Central American country.
Last year, the main regional crop sold abroad was coffee, with $2.671 million, followed by banana, with $2.594 million, pineapple, with $1.097 million and sugar, with $722 million.
Data from the Trade Intelligence Unit at CentralamericaData:
The main coffee export destinations were the U.S., Germany, Belgium, Italy, Japan and Canada, which together represent 70% of the volume exported by the region, equivalent to approximately $2,050 million. [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graphic"]