Central America's losses in the 2012-2013 harvest have been estimated at 20%, with a cost of about $500 million.
From a statement by the Central American Agricultural Council (CAC):
The Ministers of Agriculture in Central America and the Dominican Republic have agreed to implement, as a priority, a program of regional rust attention in order to concentrate the efforts of governments, and international and regional organizations to ensure a comprehensive approach to the problem that has affected more than 50% of the coffee sector in the region.
Losses caused by the rust disease in Honduras amount to 1.8 million bags, 650,000 quintals in Guatemala, 600,000 in Nicaragua, 400,000 in El Salvador, 200,000 in Costa Rica and 60,000 in Panama.
Those are the estimates of the Central American Organization of Coffee Exporters (ORCECA), who was unwilling to speculate on how much income the region would not receive because of declining exports.
Criminal activities in Central America cause a loss of $900 million for regional trade, said the Federation of the Chambers of Commerce of Central America.
In El Salvador, $600 million was lost due to armed robberies, and in Honduras, the figure is $150 million a year, reported merchants from the isthmus .
The storms that have hit Central America in last ten days have affected the sector which makes up 8% of GDP in the region.
As well as the decline in tourist arrivals, there are also substantial damages to infrastructure with collapsed roads and bridges, making it impossible to achieve growth targets set for this year.
Heavy rains may affect crops of coffee beans and sugar cane.
Producers have been reporting serious effects on the roads leading to plantations and significant problems on the inner walkways, which will makes access to the crops and their removal at harvest time difficult.
The chief executive of the Spanish company has met with President Ortega to present their complaints regarding problems of distribution and energy theft.
Government officials and company representatives have maintained total secrecy about the meetings.
Sources consulted by La Prensa "confirmed that the substance of the discussion is still in the memorandum of understanding signed by both parties in February 2009, a document that contains all the complaints and standpoints of Gas Natural-Fenosa and the Government of Nicaragua."
The decline in red bean exports is caused by crop losses in the first term.
Jorge Molina, executive director of the Center for Export Procedures (CETREX) stated that exports of all beans have suffered a total reduction of only 2%, thanks to black bean exports whose main market is Venezuela.
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