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.
More investment and marketing improvements will allow an increase in production of 20 million cases, which promises $200 million in exports in 2013.
The director of the National Agricultural Health Service of Honduras (SENASA), Heriberto Amador, said, "We have signed bilateral and multilateral agreements... we believe that according to the expectations of the head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG), James Regalado, with some projects such as EMPRENDESUR and PRESACCESO among others, between 2013 and 2015 1,500 million lempiras ($75.3 million) will be invested across different departments. "
The export sector in 2013 estimated sales of $ 3 billion, a growth of 10 to 12% compared to 2012.
According to Azucena Castillo, general manager of the Association of Producers and Exporters of Nicaragua (APEN), growth will be driven by an increase in export volumes, since on the subject of prices, there are threats to commodities such as coffee and sugar.
Nicaraguan roots and tubers are now being packed in the country with export volumes increasing year on year, mainly going to the United States and Puerto Rico.
Of the $37 million traded in ExpoApen 2012, $14 million was related to sales of roots and tubers.
The same situation occurred in the latest edition of the Fresh Summit 2012 food fair, held in California, where the most sought after Nicaraguan products were malanga coco, malanga lila, and quiquisque.
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.
In the first ten months of the year, exports reported a growth of 61.9%.
Market diversification and an increase in oil prices meant that for the period 2006-2010 Costa Rican exports almost quadrupled.
Mexico is the main destination of exports, this year reporting an increase of 32%.
"Germany and the UK have emerged as new markets since 2010, and the Netherlands and the Dominican Republic this year, together accounting for 13.7% of total exports, according to figures from the Foreign Trade Promoter (Procomer)", reports Elfinancierocr.com
In the first four months of 2011, the equivalent of $665.9 million in pineapples have been sold overseas.
After twelve years of being in first place in sales from Costa Rica to the rest of the world, the banana has lost its top position, after pineapples grew 4.5% in May compared to the same month last year.
The increase in global demand and the number of hectares planted in the country are two of the main reasons behind the strong growth.
During the first 11 months of 2010, cocoa and palm oil were the 2 agricultural products which increased their sales the most.
According to the Commerce and Industry Ministry (Mici), cocoa exports increased from $ 957.8 thousand in the first 10 months of 2009 to $ 2.8 million in the same period of 2010. During the same time-frame, palm oil exports rose from $ 781.4 thousand to $ 4.15 million.
The country sold $456 million of sugar in the first 5 months of the year, 123% more than in the same period of 2009, when it exported $204 million.
This increase was achieved in spite of lower sugar prices in the international market: $27.45 was paid for a quintal back on December 2009, while in June 3 it was worth $19.78, a 27% reduction.
Data from the Guatemalan Sugar Growers Association (Asazgua) shows that the country shipped much more sugar volume this year. Between January and June, Guatemala exported 1.372.000 metric tons, while in the entire 2008/09 season it sold just 1.367.000 metric tons.