In the first six months of 2018, Central American countries imported $22 million in sauces and their preparations from Mexico, a 33% increase over the same period in 2017.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
KFC chain will invest $3 million to open three new restaurants and $1 million to remodel other locations already operating in the country.
The company reported that the new restaurants, which will begin operations in 2019, will be located in Escazú, Limón and Heredia, and those that will be remodeled are located in downtown San José, Alajuela and in Multicentro de Desamparados.
Because Costa Rica forecasts less rainfall in the Pacific and North Coastal Belt, demand for animal feed is expected to increase in the coming months.
The National Meteorological Institute (IMN) forecasts the presence of El Niño phenomenon with moderate intensity and its influence will extend from November 2018 to May or June 2019.
It is detailed in the "Seasonal Climate Forecast November 2018 - March 2019" of the IMN, that the North Pacific region (Guanacaste) has a historical average precipitation or rainfall of 150 millimeters (per square meter) for that period, while for the current one it will only receive between 45 millimeters and 75 millimeters.
In Costa Rica, the sector guild reports that during 2018, total exports of the food industry registered a slight decrease of 1% compared to last year's foreign sales.
The Costa Rican Chamber of Food Industry (Cacia) reported that the products recording falls in sales abroad this year were flours, fats, seafood, sugar, pastas, juices and alcohol, especially by the decline in purchases in the U.S. and Europe.
In the first half of the year, countries in the region exported $51 million in frozen fruit, 11% less than in the same period in 2017.
Figures from the information system on the Frozen Fruit Market in Central America compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
During the first six months of the year, countries in the region imported animal feed preparations for $254 million, 20% more than in the same period in 2017.
Figures from the information system on the Animal Feed Preparations Market in Central America, compiled by the Trade Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
From January to June, countries in the region imported $466 million in food preparation products, 9% more than in the same period in 2017.
Figures from the information system on the Market for Food Preparation Ingredients in Central America, compiled by the Trade Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
In the first six months of the year, rice imports in Central America reached $163 million, an increase of 56% over the same period in 2017.
Figures from the information system of the Rice Market in Central America, from the Trade Intelligence Area of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
In the first quarter of 2018, imports of solid soybean waste in the Central American countries amounted to $131 million, 26% more than in the same period in 2017.
Figures from the information system on the Market for Solid Soybean Oil Waste in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
From January to March of this year countries in the region imported $4.1 million worth of sausages from Mexico, 17% more than what was purchased in the same period in 2017.
Figures from the Information System on the Sausage Meat Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
In the first quarter of the year, Honduras imported $24 million worth of baked goods, confectionery and biscuit products, and purchases made from companies in El Salvador grew by 11% compared to the same period in 2017.
Figures from the information system on the Market for Baked Goods, Pastry and Biscuit Products in Honduras, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
In the first three months of the year, countries in the region imported $117 million worth of animal feed preparations, 15% more than in the same period in 2017.
Figures from the information system on the Animal Feed Preparations Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
From January to March, countries in the region imported $213 million worth of food preparation supplies, 2% more than what was purchased in the same period in 2017.
Figures from the information system on the Market for Food Preparation Ingredients in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
In the first three months of the year, Central American countries imported $118 million worth of bakery, confectionery and biscuit products, and $49 million worth was purchased by companies in Guatemala and Honduras.
Figures from the information system on the Market for Baked Goods, Pastry and Biscuit Products in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData : [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
Last year countries in the region bought $103 million worth of soups and their preparations, and 61% were imported by companies in Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua.
Figures from the information system on the Market for Soups and Soup Preparations in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]