A raíz del robo de un contenedor que transportaba productos lácteos, la cámara del sector hizo un llamado a todos los gremios vinculados al comercio internacional y local, para que refuercen sus medidas de precaución.
In a statement, the Nicaraguan Chamber of the Dairy Sector (CANISLAC) reported that on Friday, December 13, 2019, the first container of Quesillo was stolen in the history of Nicaragua.
Since January 1, 2020, Nicaraguan authorities have been charging $25 for the electronic processing of the Single Central American Transit Declaration, a cost that exceeds by 233% what was paid until the end of 2019.
Until December 31 last year, the General Directorate of Customs Services (DGA) charged $7.5 for the Single Central American Declaration in Transit (DUCA), but with the new provision of the authorities, the cost increased by $17.5 for 2020.
Because of the tension between the productive sector and the government, coupled with the lack of official statistics from the Central Bank, some companies in Nicaragua have chosen to stop providing information to the authorities.
In an attempt to hide the complicated economic situation, the country is going through, local authorities have not published information on the Monthly Economic Activity Index since February 2019, when the year-on-year drop was 7.5%. This prevents businessmen from making decisions based on the real situation of the economy.
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.
Businessmen in the industrial sector in Nicaragua say that since the tax reform was implemented in the first quarter of the year, employment has fallen between 30% and 35%.
On February 27, 2019 was approved the amendment to the Law of Tax Concertation, which consists of raising from 1% to 2% income tax for medium enterprises with higher income. Another of the measures contemplated by the reform is to raise the income tax of large taxpayers from 1% to 3%.
Arguing that the law of creation of the Nicaraguan Company of Imports and Exports attempts against free market, the business sector demands to abolish the proposal.
The Superior Council of Private Enterprise (Cosep) strongly opposes the approval of the Law that aims to create the Nicaraguan Company of Imports and Exports (Enimex), which would allow the State to conduct commercial transactions.
As part of a pilot plan in Nicaragua eight companies have started using the Foreign Trade Single Window system, a platform that allows pre-customs procedures to be carried out.
The window that is expected to start operating in the middle of the year will allow for procedures to obtain permits and documents needed to export or import to be done online, including payments in banks and institutions via an online platform.
The service outsourcing industry in the country generated a yearly revenue of $6 million in 2008, and nine years later, the industry's revenue is close to $150 million.
Currently 45 companies operating under the free zone regime are engaged in outsourcing services in the country.This figure far exceeds that of 2007, when there were 12 companies in this sector.The incentives provided by the free zone scheme, coupled with the low labor cost demanded by these types of service centers, explain much of the growth that this market has experienced in the country.
The drama over the bulk of exports being primary products without added value is unfolding not only in Nicaragua.
The new president of the Association of Producers and Exporters of Nicaragua (APEN), Guillermo Jacoby, has carried out a lucid analysis of the difficulties faced by Nicaraguan exporters in increasing both the volume and the value of its sales abroad, and especially how to make this productive effort sustainable.
Little knowledge on the subject and difficulties in properly measuring the risks are some of the causes of the limited supply of this type of coverage.
Currently only one company, out of the 5 operating in the country, provides insurance for the agricultural sector. At the end of 2014, written premiums for this sector where only 0.05% of the total, ie $ 2.4 million.
A statutory amendment will allow Brazil to use a World Trade Organization quota to export beef to the United States.
Nicaraguan producers and exporters have raised concerns about the possible impact of changes in trade policies which are being discussed by the U.S. Congress, which directly affect the export of peanuts, tobacco and meat, the latter product due to possible entry of beef from Brazil.
The Euroforum 2014 program will provide technical assistance on issues such as labeling, packing and packaging, distribution and logistics as well as the preparation of commercial offers.
From a statement issued by Eeas.europa.eu:
European Union and APEN present EUROFORUM 2014 (21/05/2014)
Managua, May 21, 2014. Promoting the continuous training of some 80 SMEs with export profiles, under the framework of the opportunities offered by the Association Agreement between the European Union and Central America, is the main objective of the first edition of EUROFORUM to be held between the months of May and August this year.
In the first quarter of 2014 the total volume of sales to the South American country was 25% lower than in the same period in 2013.
The drop in retail sales has been seen in sugar, dairy products, oils and fats, livestock and food industry waste, representing a reduction of 4.45% on Nicaraguan revenue in the period in question.
"In 2014, the sale of dairy products has registered a fall of 100% in volume and value because local companies did not package milk under Venezuelan brands as they did in 2013."
Nutritional labels on food exported to Mexico detailing sugar, fat and salt on exports to Ecuador are part of the changes.
The Association of Producers and Exporters of Nicaragua (APEN) confirmed that from this and next year Mexico and Ecuador will implement new labeling rules for foods and beverages. Exporters will have to take into account those rules if they want to place their products in those markets.
The Nicaraguan livestock sector's use of the Agreement with the European Union depends on the full implementation of the traceability of every kilo of meat exported.
With the support of the Inter-American Development Bank local livestock traceability will be promoted by the Trazar-Nic project.
The project which is also being sponsored by the Association of Producers and Exporters of Nicaragua (APEN), is directed by the engineer Leonardo Garcia, who was interviewed by Ricardo Guerrero from Elnuevodiario.com.