The fall in international grain prices in recent years has increasingly affected producers in the region, who at current prices do not even reach the production costs.
Since years ago, international sugar prices have reported a clear downward trend, and in the last twelve months the quintal price registered a fall of 23%.
In the first days of January last year, the international price of sugar was above $15 per quintal, and that value has been decreasing in recent months, falling to $12 per quintal at the beginning of this year, according to Investing.com.
Because of the low grain prices reported in 2018, it is estimated that there could be a reduction in supply, which would lead to a rebound in prices this year.
On average, the pound price of grain was close to $1.15 during 2018, however, global businessmen forecast that for this year the price could rise to $1.24 per pound.
In the first nine months of 2018, 21 environmental impact studies were presented in Central America to adapt land for cultivation and processing of agricultural products.
The interactive platform "Construction in Central America", compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData, includes an up to date list of public and private construction projects for which environmental impact studies (EIA) were submitted to the respective institutions of each country.
In the first half of the year, Central American countries exported pineapple for $583 million, 14% more than in the same period in 2017, mainly because of sales to U.S. companies.
Figures from the information system on the Pineapple Market in Central America complied by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
During the first six months of the year, palm oil sales from Central America reached $383 million, and exports to Spain increased 232% with respect to the first half of 2017.
Figures from the information system on the Palm Oil and its Components market in Central America complied by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
During the first nine months of 2018, companies in the region's countries imported from Mexico fertilizers for $70 million, 629% more than what was purchased in the same period of 2017.
Figures from the information system of the Central American Fertilizer Market, from the Trade Intelligence Area of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
Because of the weather, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador report annual losses in basic grain and vegetable production of $196 million, $140 million and $37 million, respectively.
According to estimates by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Central American countries that are part of the Northern Triangle, derived from climatic phenomena, mainly drought, annually record total losses in the agricultural sector close to $337 million.
Coffee is still the main agricultural product sold abroad, with annual exports of around $3,035 million, followed by bananas, with $2,574 million and sugar, with $1,241 million.
Figures from the interactive platform "Central American Crops Monitoring" compiled by CentralAmericaData's Business Intelligence Unit:
From January to June of this year, countries in the region imported insecticides, herbicides and fungicides for $343 million, 2% more than in the same period in 2017.
Figures from the information system of the Central American Insecticide, Herbicide and Fungicide Market, from the Trade Intelligence Area of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
Between January and August of this year, Honduran exports of manufacturing and agricultural products reached $1.284 million, 8% more than the same period in 2017.
Mostly explained by the increase in exports of paper and cardboard, plastics and their products, bananas, melons and watermelons, sales of manufacturing and agricultural products that together reached US$1,284.3 million were 8.1% higher than the US$96.6 million accumulated in the same period of 2017.
During the first half of 2018, purchases by countries in the region reached $494 million, 12% more than imports during the same period the previous year.
Figures from the information system of the Central American Fertilizer Market, from the Trade Intelligence Area at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
The countries of the region exported fresh and refrigerated vegetables for $59 million from January to March 2018, 25% more than in the same period in 2017.
Figures from the information system Fresh or Chilled Vegetables Market in Central America, compiled by the Trade Intelligence Area at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
Producers in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala, will have a processing plant, technical assistance and a global distribution network.
The funds from the Italian-Latin American International Organization (IILA) and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) are part of the project entitled "Revitalization of the quality cocoa chain in Central America and the Caribbean."
In the first three months of the year, Central American countries registered $625 million in banana sales abroad, and exports to the Netherlands increased by 38% compared to the same period in 2017.
Figures from the information system on the Fresh or Dry Banana Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
During the first three months of the year countries in Central America sold $52 million worth of watermelons abroad, which is 20% more than what was exported in the same period in 2017.
Figures from the information system on the Fresh Watermelon Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData : [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]