In the month of January, the sector of ornamental plants, foliage and flowers generated $6.2 million in foreign exchange, which is an increase of 6.9% compared to the same period in 2012, when they totaled $5.8 million.
According to data from the Bank of Guatemala (Banguat), this segment makes up one of the top 25 export products, and is recovering after the economic crisis of 2009.
Exports totaled $870.3 million in January 2013, increasing by 17% compared to the $744.2 million exported in the same period in 2012.
Sales of clothing were consolidated as the main export in Guatemala, generating revenues of $102.8 million, followed by sugar with $85 million, which is not more than the $96.8 million that came in January 2012.
From October to December 2012, exports from the group of nine Latin American coffee producing countries, with the exception of Brazil, grew by 15.75%.
The National Coffee Association of Guatemala (Anacafe) said in a statement that their exports of quality coffee from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Peru, joined the 6,135,414 60 kilo bags, in the quarter from October to December 2012.
Foreign sales of flowers, foliage and ornamental plants increased by 8% in 2012, totaling $81 million, which is $8 million more than last year.
The sector projected for this year an increase of 6.2% in exports. "Businessmen and producers see that it is necessary to promote growth of the sector and view the crisis in European countries as an opportunity", said Brigitte Obrock, coordinator of the commission of Ornamental Foliage and flowers at Agexport.
In 2011 these exports grew by 126% compared to 2010, while there is still much to take advantage of in the FTA in place with the market that is a bridge to China.
Last year, in 2011, exports totaled $33.3 million, which is 126% more than 2010. The increase in revenue was generated primarily by sugar cane and molasses.
According to the advisory minister from the Embassy of Taiwan in El Salvador coffee is another product with great potential for export to Taiwan, adding that the country is also "a platform to enter the mainland China market, thanks to a trade agreement signed between both nations" reported the newspaper Elmundo.com.sv
Foreign sales grew in 2011 at an annual rate of 25%, the highest percentage in the last 30 years.
Due to the high international price of coffee, silver and gold, oil and rubber, the amount of foreign currency received was more than $10,000 million.
By sector, manufacturing is expected to close with a 20% increase in exports relative to 2010. Total sales exceeded $2,800 million, of which 31% are sales of exported chemicals.
The country sold $4,578 million worth of goods abroad in the first 5 months of the year, 26.8% more than in the same period in 2010.
According to officials from the Bank of Guatemala, the increase is mainly explained by the increase in the price of commodities, especially sugar, bananas, coffee and cardamom oil.
In general, higher export volumes were also reported, sugar being the main exception, due to lower production.
In 2010 the country's food exports from the north to the isthmus increased by 25%.
Product sales from Mexico to the Central American countries totaled more than $644 million last year, far exceeding the previous year's figures.
This significant increase has led to an improvement in the results of the trade balance, growth from sales in recent years has generated a trade surplus that has reversed the previous downward trend.
In 2002 Guatemalan exports to Mexico were $ 116.66 million, while the figure was $501.31 million in 2008.
As for imports, they rose from $548 million to $1.388 billion. This is from figures reported since the entry into force of the FTA in 2002.
Byron Dardón wrote in Prensalibre.com: "Mexico sells Guatemala cellular phones, hard wheat, televisions, malt extract (to produce baby food), shampoos, iron, steel, wire and construction materials in general.