From January to September 2020, the countries of the region exported $527 million for beef, 16% more than what was registered in the same period of 2019, a rise that is explained by the behavior of Honduran, Panamanian, Costa Rican and Nicaraguan sales.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graph"]
In recent years, Nicaraguan beef exports have been on the rise due to the improved quality of the product, but foreign sales of live cattle have been declining due to the deterioration of trade relations with Venezuela.
Official figures specify that between 2019 and 2020 Nicaraguan beef exports increased by 4%, going from $522 million to $542 million.
From January to June 2020, Central American countries reported $359 million in beef sales abroad, 24% more than what was recorded in the same period of 2019.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graph"]
Authorities from both countries signed a protocol that will allow Panamanian producers to export poultry meat to the Asian nation.
The agreement that was signed on November 17, 2020 by Panama's ambassador to China, Leonardo Kam, representing the Ministries of Health and Agricultural Development, and by the Director General of the General Administration of Customs of China, Ni Yuefeng, includes an annex with the list of ten eligible chicken edible by-products that would integrate the agreement.
During the first quarter of the year in Costa Rica 99,662 cattle were slaughtered, 4% more than reported in the same period in 2019, which is largely explained by shipments to the market in China.
Although the spread of covid-19 has negatively impacted most economic sectors worldwide, data from the Livestock Corporation (Corfoga) detail that between January and March 2019 and the same period of 2020, the number of cattle slaughtered increased by 3981, from 95681 to 99662.
Because Panama lacks the certifications required by the U.S. country, authorities of that country are analyzing the possibility of exporting through certification in a laboratory in Honduras.
According to the authorities of the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA), the U.S. authorities agree that Panama should certify the quality of the meat through analysis by Honduran laboratories.
After meeting all the requirements demanded by the Asian country's authorities, the first shipment of 24,000 kilos of frozen pork cuts was sent on February 14.
The company that made the first shipment is Carnes Zamora, which in the first shipment included chops, ribs, shoulders, fat, skin, legs, horns and ears.
After the sanitary protocol to sell meat to China came into effect and the industrial plants in Costa Rica were certified, the Central American country's sales to the Asian giant doubled between 2018 and 2019.
Figures from the Foreign Trade Promotion Agency (Procomer) show that in 2018 beef sales to China reached $22 million, while in 2019 they doubled to $57 million.
Through the signing of two protocols, the Central American country is authorized to export to the Asian country pork meat and sausages, as well as fish and shrimp.
Health protocols were signed on December 10 and according to the authorities of the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA), it is expected that the first shipments to China will be made as soon as possible.
From January to March 2019, the countries of the region reported $154 million in sales of beef abroad, and exports to Puerto Rico grew 12% over the same period in 2017.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAPHIC caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
In Panama, the processing plant Union Livestock received the endorsement to market beef in the Asian country, and it is expected that the first containers will be shipped in late April.
At the end of last year, it was reported that the meat product plants that received the endorsement by the General Administration of Customs of China to start selling their products to the Asian giant were Matadero de Chiriquí, S.A.
Although exports have tripled in the last three years, mainly because of increased sales of medical equipment, sugar, ethyl alcohol and meat, the business sector's expectations are not as optimistic.
Data from the Foreign Trade Promoter (Procomer) specify that in 2016 Costa Rican exports to China totaled $46 million, in 2017 registered $111 million, and in 2018 rose to $200 million.
The Panamanian government's decision to raise the tariff on meat imported from Nicaragua from 3% to 30% to allow local producers to compete has so far shown no clear results.
In September 2018, the Panamanian government decided to establish barriers to the entry of Nicaraguan beef by raising the import tariff from 3% to 30%. This has not had the expected effects, as the prices paid to local producers have not risen.
During the last year, 70% of imports of poultry for fattening, poultry for breeding and processed meat were made by companies in Guatemala, Panama and Nicaragua.
From the "Poultry Market in Central America" report, developed by the Trade Intelligence Department of CentralAmericaData:
After the approval of three beef processing plants in Panama by the Chinese authorities, it is expected that in the first months of 2019 the Central American country will begin to export its products.
The meat products plants which received the endorsement by the General Administration of Customs of China to start selling their products to the Asian giant were Matadero de Chiriquí, S.A. (Machisa), Unión Ganadera, S.A. (Ungasa) and Macello.