In Nicaragua, ranchers claim that as a result of the tax reform and the inevitable increase in production costs, they have had to increase the slaughter of female cattle by 4%, putting at risk the growth of the cattle herd.
After the approval on February 27, 2019 of the amendment to the Tax Concertation Law, which consisted of raising income tax from 1% to 2% for medium sized companies with higher income, and for large taxpayers from 1% to 3%, the livestock sector has reported considerable increases in its production costs.
In Panama, the authorities ordered a temporary special agricultural safeguard measure to be applied to imports of beef other than prime and choice beef originating in the United States.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MICI) indicated that this special safeguard, which will be in effect until December 2019, is because imports of this product reached last October, the activation level of the measure agreed in the SPC between Panama and the United States.
Between October 2018 and the same month in 2019, the number of cattle slaughtered in Panama increased 10%, while the slaughter of pigs decreased 6%.
According to the latest report of the General Comptroller of the Republic of Panama detail that in the first ten months of the year 283,227 head of cattle were slaughtered, a figure higher than the 270,214 reported in the same period of 2018.
The protocol allowing Guatemalan companies to sell live cattle in the neighboring country will come into effect on December 15, 2019.
After the negotiation process between Mexican and Guatemalan authorities has concluded and the sanitary regulations for the entry of animals have been approved, the Central American country has the green light to start selling live cattle.
From January to March 2019, the countries of the region reported $154 million in sales of beef abroad, and exports to Puerto Rico grew 12% over the same period in 2017.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAPHIC caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
Due to the fact that preference for "vegetable" or plant-based meat is growing quickly in major global markets, food industry business groups have begun to make investments to meet this novel and growing market niche.
Foods that were once considered the exclusive consumption of vegans or vegetarians are now becoming popular, and in the case of the United States, in supermarkets it is increasingly normal to see meat products made from plants.
Between January and September 2018 and the same period in 2019, the number of cattle slaughtered in Panama increased 4%, while the slaughter of pigs decreased 9%.
The most recent figures from the General Comptroller's Office of the Republic of Panama detail that in the first nine months of the year 252,143 head of cattle were slaughtered, a figure higher than the 242,270 reported in the same period of 2018.
Consistent with the downward trend reported in recent months, between January and August 2018 and the same period in 2019 the number of pigs slaughtered in the country fell 9%, while the slaughter of cattle grew 3% for the periods in question.
The most recent report of the General Comptroller of the Republic details that in the first eight months of the year 223,979 head of cattle were slaughtered, a figure higher than the 216,059 reported in the same period of 2018.
The absence of toxic waste laboratories in the processing plants is one of the obstacles that are preventing Panamanian meat from entering the Costa Rican market.
Representatives of the Panamanian Exporters Association (Apex) explained that Costa Rican regulations require at least 14 toxic waste tests and Panamanian laboratories perform only 8.
Between January and July 2018 and the same period in 2019 the number of pigs slaughtered in Panama decreased 9%, while the slaughter of cattle increased 3%.
The most recent data from the General Comptroller's Office of the Republic of Panama detail that in the first seven months of the year 193,231 head of cattle were slaughtered, a figure higher than the 187,248 reported in the same period of 2018.
In Costa Rica, 15% of consumers show interest in seafood, and about 40% of them are between 31 and 45 years old, and have a high level of purchasing power.
An analysis of consumer interests and preferences in Costa Rica, prepared by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, yields interesting results on the characteristics of people who show interest in different types of food.
Between the first half of 2018 and the same period in 2019, the number of cattle slaughtered in Panama increased 3%, while the slaughter of pigs decreased 9%.
The most recent data from the General Comptroller's Office of the Republic of Panama detail that in the first six months of the year 163,899 head of cattle were slaughtered, a figure higher than the 159,466 reported in the same period of 2018.
Because Guatemalan authorities have not yet completed the health control program, local producers cannot export live cattle to Mexico, where they could sell between 10,000 and 15,000 head a month.
For Guatemalan cattle ranchers, Southern Mexico is an attractive market, because there is interest on the part of Mexican businessmen to buy standing cattle at better prices than those quoted in Guatemala.
The Guatemalan health authorities recommend not authorizing the import and marketing of meat from the South American country, arguing that there have been cases of foot-and-mouth disease.
At the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (Maga) issued an opinion on the possibility of commercializing in the local market meat and its derivatives, of Argentine origin.
Between the first five months of 2018 and the same period in 2019, the slaughter of cattle in Panama increased 4%, while that of pigs decreased 8%.
The most recent report of the General Comptroller of the Republic of Panama details that in the first five months of the year 137,636 head of cattle were slaughtered, a figure higher than the 132,136 reported in the same period of 2018.