In 2016 total imports of beef added up to $44 million, of which 37% was imported by Pecuaria Exportadora, Pricesmart and Preparación Conmutativa de Alimentos.
Figures from the information system on the Fresh, Refrigerated and Frozen Beef Market in Guatemala, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAPHIC caption = "Click to interact with the graph"]
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.
The requirements for sanitation and traceability are preventing the livestock sector from taking advantage of quotas for meat exports duty free to Europe.
Although the Association Agreement between Central America and the European Union established a quota of 4,800 tonnes per year of rice and a quota of 1,533 tonnes per year of meat, which could enter Europe without incurring tariffs, neither sector has been able to take advantage of them completely.
As in March, the values of all products in the FAO food index fell in April, with the exception of meat prices.
From a statement issued by the World Food Organization:
» The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 168.0 points in April 2017, down 3.1 points (1.8 percent) from March, but still 15.2 points (10 percent) higher than in April 2016.
The government has lifted the disqualification of sanitary records on processed meat products from Brazil, which had been in force since March 23 of this year.
From a statement issued by the Panamanian Food Safety Authority:
The Panamanian Food Safety Authority(AUPSA) has lifted the disqualification of sanitary records of processed meat products from Brazil for not being related to the investigation carried out in that southern country.
In the first four months of the year the volume of meat exported exceeded the figure for the same period in 2016 by 45% and generated income of $134 million.
The value exported was also higher than the one registered in the first quarter of last year, when $96 million was exported, according to Cetrex's figures.
Representatives of the sector attribute the better results to diversification of the markets for which Nicaraguan meat is destined.René Blandón, president of the Comisión Nacional Ganadera de Nicaragua (Conagan), commented to Elnuevodiario.com.ni: "The industries, which are responsible for placing the processed product, have got their finger out, so to speak, in searching for and conquering new markets for meat."
Local entrepreneurs and US producers want to revive imports of lamb meat into Guatemala.
The goal of businessmen of both countries is to revive a market that until now has not been fully exploited, although since December 2013 rules have been in effect which must be complied with in order to register and certify sheep bred in the country.
In the first quarter of the year exports of coffee, beef and sugar cane generated $388 million, 54% more than in the same period in 2016.
Between January and March this year 45 million kilos ofgreen coffeewere exported,generating revenues of $159 million, which is 35% greater than the value of exports in the first quarter of 2016.
Except meat, in March rates went down for all other commodities in the FAO food index, especially sugar and vegetable oils.
From a statement issued by the World Food Organization:
The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged nearly 171 points in March 2017, down almost 5 points (2.8 percent) from February, but still 20 points (13.4 percent) above its level a year earlier.
The government has temporarily disabled health records for processed meat products imported from the south american country.
From a statement issued by the Panamanian Food Safety Authority:
As a preventive measure, the Panamanian Food Safety Authority today ordered the withdrawal from supermarkets of processed meat products originating from the Republic of Brazil.
It has been announced that Agroindustrias del Corral has received certification to market beef in the US market starting from next semester.
From a statement issued by from Coalianza:
The United States Department of Agriculture has given the green light to the meat processor Agroindustrias del Corral to export beef to its market, reported the Ministry of Economic Development (SDE) today.
With the exception of vegetable oils, in February rates of all commodities that make up the FAO price index increased, especially cereals.
From the FAO Food Price Index:
The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 175.5 points in February 2017, up 0.9 points (0.5 percent) from a slightly revised January value. At this level, the FFPI is as much as 26 points, or 17.2 percent, higher than its level in the corresponding month last year and at its highest value since February 2015. With the exception of vegetable oils, the indices of all other commodities used in the calculation of the FFPI increased in February, especially of cereals.
The Hernandez administration has announced that the processing plant C & D will start operating again from this month.
From a statement issued by Coalianza:
The reopening of the C&D meat processing plant, located in the town of Catacamas, Olancho, will take place later this week, President Juan Orlando Hernández announced today.
This year the union of beef exporters expects to sell abroad 113,000 tons of beef and offal products.
Directors of the Nicaraguan chamber of beef exporting plants estimate that sales this year will generate $480 million in revenue.They also announced they will be working on the implementation of improvements that will allow them to increase the value added of the final product, in order to enter more demanding markets, such as Europe.
Between January and September 2016, Central American countries together imported $74 million in sausages and similar meat products, at an average price of between $2.37 and $2.85 per kilo.
Figures from a reporton Imports of Processed Meat in Central American, by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [Figure caption = "Click to interact with graphics"]