During the first nine months of 2018 the countries of the region made purchases abroad of copper wire for $79 million, 36% more than what was reported in the same period of 2017.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphics]
During the first half of the year, the countries of the region purchased copper wire abroad for $56 million, 34% more than what was reported in the same period of 2017.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
During the first quarter of the year, the Central American countries allocated $ 28 million to the purchase of copper wire abroad, 38% more than that reported in the same period of 2017.
Data from the Copper Wire market information system in Central America, from the CentralAmericaData Commercial Intelligence Area: [GRAFICA caption="Clic para interactuar con la gráfica"]
Between January and November of 2017, countries in the region imported $58 million worth of copper wire, and 88% was acquired by companies in Costa Rica.
Figures from the information system on the the Copper Wire Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
Between 2015 and 2016 the total volume of imported copper wire in Central America increased by 9%, going from 16 thousand tons to 18 thousand tons.
Figures from the information system on the the Copper Wire Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with the graph"]
Claro reported losses of $ 4.2 million so far this year.
Until September 1,204 cases of stolen materials have been reported, six times the 184 reported in the same period of 2009.
La Prensa Grafica reported statements from Hector Ortiz, operations manager of Claro, "Due to recurrent incidents, the telephony company stated they have decided not to provide more land-line service in areas where theft of materials has occurred more than 10 times, as is the case of tourist area of La Libertad and the Apopa rural area."
El Salvador and Costa Rica say NO. Panama and Nicaragua say YES. Guatemala and Honduras are expected to decide soon.
Gold and copper prices are on the rise, and investors are eager to put money in extraction projects all over Central America.
But the governments of Central America have different opinions over this industry. While these projects are welcomed and authorized In Panama and Nicaragua, informal and formal moratoriums to the activity are being decreed in Costa Rica and El Salvador, stopping mining concessions under pressure from environmentalist groups. Meanwhile, in Guatemala and Honduras new projects are awaiting rules and regulations that will likely toughen environmental regulations for the mining industry.