The Guatemalan union of the sector announced that the reactivation plan they are preparing is based on the renovation of coffee plantations within a period of five years.
The National Coffee Association (Anacafé), is working in conjunction with the ministries of Public Finance, Agriculture, Livestock and Food and the Inter-American Development Bank, on a plan for economic reactivation of the sector, which could be ready in the coming weeks.
The Hernández administration has denounced the fact that Guatemalan authorities are imposing non-tariff barriers on the entry of chicken from Honduras.
The head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Honduras, Jacobo Paz, announced that since they have not been able to resolve the problem with their counterparts in Guatemala, they will submit the case to the Council of the Minister of Economic Integration (Comieco).
The World Bank projects that the price of a barrel of oil will rise to $56, metal prices will stabilize, gold prices will tend to rise and agricultural prices will increase, due to a decline in supply.
From a report by the World Bank:
WASHINGTON, October 26 - Oil prices are forecast to rise to $56 a barrel in 2018 from $53 this year as a result of steadily growing demand, agreed production cuts among oil exporters and stabilizing U.S. shale oil production, while the surge in metals prices is expected to level off next year, the World Bank said on Thursday.
The union projects a 3.7% growth in activity in the agricultural sector, after having achieved an estimated 3.2% increase in 2016.
From a statement issued by the Chamber of Agriculture:
As it does at the beginning of every year, the Chamber of Agriculture this morning presented its partners the results of an economic study on agricultural which includes estimates for economic growth in the agro sector in 2016 and growth expectations for 2017 located at 3.7%.
Frozen meat and meat products such as sausages, ham and salami are some of the goods imported by supermarkets, restaurants and hotels in India.
From a report by Eurocarne.com:
The Foreign Service at the United States Department of Agriculture has prepared a report on the situation of the pork production in India and trade of this product.According to the report, the Asian country produced around 464,000 tons of this product from April 2014 to March 2015 and this amount accounts for 8% of the total protein intake in the country. It also states that the figure is 1.4% more than in the same period in previous years.
Prepared cereals, seafood, meat, and vegetables and fruit, lead agro-industrial imports from China.
A study prepared by CABI for the Chamber of Agriculture of Guatemala highlights the opportunities that South Korea provides for the agribusiness sector in Central America.
From the study "Republic of Korea: Business Opportunities for Producers Agriculture and Agro"
In the first four months of 2015, exports of fresh bananas, flowers, avocados, nuts, bananas, cocoa, instant coffee and tropical fruits had the largest growth compared to the same period in 2014.
From a statement issued by the Foreign Trade Promotion Office:
Colombia's agricultural exports to the European Union (EU) increased by 29% in the first quarter of this year, reaching 683 million euros, according to recently released official figures.
On August 13th and 14th farmers from Honduras and Guatemala will meet in Tegucigalpa with buyers and exporting companies to explore business opportunities.
The meeting between producers and buyers, organized by AGEXPORT's AGRITRADE, will take place in Comayagua Golf Club Honduras' Hotel and Convention Center . It is expected that 110 Central American producers from 30 associations will take part.
Chicken meat imports in Costa Rica had a growth of 57% in 2012 over the previous year, while beef only grew 46%.
From the report:
In 2012 the country imported $48.3 million worth, an increase of 28% compared to the previous year.
Imports of frozen bovine meat recorded the highest increase in monetary terms, with imports in 2012 having increased by more than $4.4 million compared with the previous year, going from $9.6 million in 2011 to approximately $14 million in 2012.
Research on consumer trends points to the need to provide more added value to products from the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
A statement from the Costa Rica Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER) reads:
Experts point to the need to provide more added value to fishery and aquaculture products
Industry experts noted during a fishing and aquaculture conference entitled "How will we eat fish in the future? Food technologies and development of aquatic products " which took place in the Basque Culinary Center, in Spain, the need to provide greater value to their products through diversification of supply, new presentations and services tailored to consumer demands.
The eleven Latin American countries involved signed the agreement ending twenty years of banana trade disputes with the European countries.
The so-called "banana war" between the European Union (EU) and several Latin American countries-including six Central American countries- officially came to an end on Thursday, with the signing of a trade agreement promoted by the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The United States Department of Agriculture will apply a new system to examine meat for drugs, pesticides and other harmful agents.
A statement from the Trade Office of Costa Rica (PROCOMER) reads:
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued new regulations for beef and chicken.
The United States Department of Agriculture recently issued new regulations for residues of veterinary drugs in meat from chicken and beef sold in this country.
As of July 1 it will be mandatory to use a logo for organic foods in the European Union (EU) for all pre-packaged foods.
A statement from the Costa Rican Trade Office reads:
The European Union has declared the mandatory use of logos for organic food
From July 1 use of a logo for organic foods in the European Union (EU) will be mandatory for all prepackaged food products produced in EU member countries.
Bringing in beef from Nicaragua would mean savings of between $4 and $8 per pound.
This would stabilize or even lower consumer prices, said Edgar Mendez, president of the Guild of Butchers in Guatemala, provided that the Government allows direct purchase.
"We determined that buying the product from Nicaragua would slow the escalation of prices in the local market", he said.
An analysis of Spanish market behavior carried out by the Costa Rican entity Procomer can be extrapolated to the entire agricultural sector in Central America.
A Statement by Procomer reads:
Spanish Fruit Imports Increase and Vegetables Drop
Spanish fruit imports in January 2012 increased by 18% compared to the same month in 2011, amounting to 73,733 tons, while imports of vegetables decreased by 11.5% totaling 105,698 tons, according to the Directorate General of Customs in the country.