Projections for 2017-2018 are to plant an area of 1.7 million manzanas (a unit equivalent to 1.72 acres), in the cattle sector 865 thousand head of cattle are expected to be slaughtered and, in the dairy industry the expected projections are of 280 million gallons.
The Plan for Production, Consumption and Trade in the 2017-2018 Cycle includes details of the Nicaraguan government's projections for agricultural, livestock, poultry, aquaculture and forestry sectors for the current year and the next.
22 thousand hectares are devoted to growing palm in the country, and investments of $150 million are planned for maintenance of existing plantations and new ones in the coming years.
The 22 thousand hectares of African palm currently produce 70 thousand tons of crude oil which are destined for local consumption and export. In 2016 the revenue generated from sales abroad totaled $33 million, 13% more than in 2015.
After two decades of research, a report by 20 top US scientists has concluded that GM crops are safe for health and the environment.
The largest piece of research on the impact of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) which has been made by the National Academy of Sciences of the United States demolishes myths promoted by environmental organizations by concluding that these crops are no different from others and that there is not a one test that has shown a negative impact on the health of people.
The agricultural chambers in the region are preparing law proposals to be presented in the Central American countries to remove the restrictions on growing GM foods.
Representatives from FECAGRO said the use of agricultural biotechnology allows for improved technology that enables high productivity seeds, reduces agrochemical use, creates more drought-resistant crops that can also be irrigated with salt water and are completely safe for human consumption.
The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency has given Grupo EcoPlanet Bamboo a guarantee of up to $48 million to expand its investments in the cultivation and processing of bamboo for industrial use.
From a statement issued by the World Bank:
MIGA increases investment guarantees for EcoPlanet Bamboo Group in Nicaragua to US $48.8 million
Pioneering project in the world market for certified sustainable alternative fiber
It has been projected that the international price, which is trading above $3,200 a metric ton, will maintain its upward trend, favoring Nicaraguan producers.
Demand for chocolate is pushing up grain prices, which is complemented by a decline in cocoa production in other countries engaged in farming.
Manfred Günkell, general manager of Ritter Sport in Nicaragua, told Elnuevodiario.com.ni that "...
While the Congress of Costa Rica is preparing to vote on a four year moratorium on the cultivation of GM crops, the scientific evidence that they pose no risk to animal or human health is increasing.
EDITORIAL
The article published in Elfinancierocr.com by Keilor Rojas reports on a study carried out by geneticists at the University of California-Davis that based on "...
With the Global GAP certification that they hope to obtain this year, with 12,000 hectares of crops Mexico projects that it will increase its fruit exports to the US market.
From a press release issued by the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Office (Procomer) :
Mexico to increase mango exports
54% of the 135,000 tonnes of mango estimated to be produced in 2015 in Michoacán (about 73,000 tons) will be for export.
A company dedicated to the cultivation and processing of bamboo plans to increase the number of hectares planted in 2015 from 2,400 to 3,000 and produce bamboo fiber for industrial purposes.
In order to start exporting in 2016, the group EcoPlanet Bamboo aims increase its planted areas to market bamboo fiber in the United States, so that it can be used as raw material in the production of activated charcoal.
Guatemala has reported a productivity of 101.68 tons of sugarcane per hectare, followed by Honduras and El Salvador, reaching levels of 93.47 and 89.94, respectively.
During the harvest from November 2012 - June 2013, Guatemala achieved a productivity of 10.57 tonnes of sugar per hectare (TSH), higher than that achieved by producers neighbors El Salvador and Honduras which achieved TSH of 10.55 and 10,03, respectively.
A reduction in crop yields due to the lack of rain is affecting the marketing of these products, in cases such as herbicides, there has been a 40% drop in sales.
Less demand for fertilizers, herbicides and other agrochemicals needed to tend crops is causing an increase in inventories kept by marketers and generating greater downward pressure on the price of such products.
An overproduction of corn, wheat and rice in China and a record crop which is expected this year in the United States will continue to push international prices down.
While drought in Central America ravages crops of basic grains such as corn, it is estimated that this year China will have a reserve of 150 million tons of grain, "... including three of the most important crops in China: rice, wheat and corn.
This year Ecuador could surpass Brazil as the largest producer of cocoa in America, with an expected increase of 9% in production, estimated at 240 thousand tons.
Like other producers of the grain, Ecuador is taking advantage of the surge in global demand for chocolate, devoting more resources to the cocoa industry in the country. Government assistance programs, new plantations and a lower incidence of El Niño on crops has led the sector to estimate that production will be 240,000 tonnes this year.
In the department of Estelí, the main producing area, the price of land has risen, driven by increasing demand for areas in which to grow tobacco plants.
In 2013 cigar exports generated revenues in excess of $200 million and production achieved a 18% growth compared to the previous year, reflecting the good performance of the tobacco industry in the country.