Allowing import, export and transit processes to be carried out efficiently is the recommendation of the region's businessmen to avoid product shortages in the regional market.
For the Federation of Chambers and Industrial Associations of Central America and the Dominican Republic (Fecaica), governments should continue to take the measures considered necessary so that the cases detected so far do not continue to multiply, or at least, the contagion curve can be minimized, taking actions such as activating and expanding emergency response mechanisms and informing the population about the risks and ways to protect themselves.
Endemic problems with the water supply are being compounded by the effect of El Niño, and short-term measures are being tried while the root of the problem is left unaddressed.
EDITORIAL
The editorial in Nacion.com is clear: "... The problem is a shortage of water. It's time to talk about a crisis, without any exaggeration." If meteorologists are not wrong in predicting the lack of rain, four major areas in the Greater Metropolitan area (GAM) "...
Because of a shortage, authorization has been given to the importation of 119 thousand metric tons of paddy rice and 20,150 metric tons of milled rice, duty free.
The Ministry of Development, Industry and Commerce published on 15 January in the Official Newspaper La Gaceta, Ministerial Agreements 086-2015 and 087-2015 number in which two import quotas were authorized due to shortages of rice, the first for 119,700 tons (2.63 million hundredweight) of paddy and the other for 20,150 tons (443.300 hundredweight ) of gold rice.
There are less than 1,000 veterinarians in the country, an insufficient amount to meet the growing demand for specialized attention demanded from the agricultural sector.
"... Johnny Alfaro, 26, a veterinarian and animal scientist who graduated in 2014, cited the example that in the municipality of San Marcos, Carazo, there are only about 3 or 4 and some veterinary clinics have no veterinarian.
In the region climatic effects and problems of smuggling have caused scarcity and a rise in cattle prices, the same as is occurring on the international market.
Added to the shortage of cattle is a decline in sales, both regionally and internationally, where "...Stock market contracts for cattle on July 13 performed positively, rising to the maximum limit allowed by the exchange of $3 and almost $4 ", reports Panamaamerica.com.pa.
The drought that affected in 2014 has worsened this year, threatening shortages of basic foodstuffs.
An article on Nacion.com reports that the director of Agricultural Extension of the Ministry of Agriculture of Costa Rica, Felipe Arguedas said "... We are very concerned because two years of drought are joined together; we believe that 2015 will be worse than 1997, which was the driest year recorded so far."
The Ministry of Agriculture is projecting that local production of potatoes and onions will not be enough to meet domestic demand, and in the months of January and February 2015 imports will need to be made.
According to estimates arising from the latest survey conducted by the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) production of potatoes and onions in the early months of 2015 will not be sufficient to meet demand therefore analysis is being undertaken on how much will need to be imported.
Costa Rica and Honduras are the countries with the highest rates as of July 27th, 2014 for red beans, costing $2,133 and $1,695 a metric ton, respectively.
The shortage of beans has raised prices across the region and all countries have been forced to authorize emergency imports in order to supply markets.
After Costa Rica and Honduras, as reported by the Agricultural Council (CAC) "...Guatemala is in third place, with $1,615 a metric ton (MT) and then Nicaragua with $1,609.35. The lowest prices were quoted in late May in El Salvador, with U.S. $1413.04 MT.
Industrialist point out that the declaration of shortage of grain by the government has failed to solve the problem in the local market, where the price of a kilo has increased by $1.
The National Association of Manufacturers of Beans in Costa Rica (Anifri) argues that the change in the verification of phytosanitary measures by the Ministry of Agriculture is the cause of the grain shortages and price increases in the country.
The government will manage 95% of the maize authorized to be imported duty free from any member country of the World Trade Organization.
"... The remaining 5% will be distributed under a "first come first served" basis until the available volume of each quota runs out," says an agreement of the Ministry of Development, Industry and Trade, as reported by Eleconomista.net.
The government will control 95% of the 20 tons of red beans that have been authorized for duty-free purchase from any country which is a member of the World Trade Organization.
The remaining 5% will be distributed "... on a first come, first serve basis, until the available volume of each quota runs out," says ministerial agreement 025-2014 as reported by Laprensa.com.ni .
The lack of its main raw material is a recurring problem in the Nicaraguan footwear industry.
The National Chamber of Leather, Footwear and Allied Businesses in Nicaragua has requested a temporary ban on the export of leather, noting that most of the production of cattle hides in the country is being sold abroad.
Whether because of problems arising in imports of the main raw material for the manufacture of footwear, or because of local production of leather being exported abroad, this seems to be a never ending issue that periodically causes severe losses to the industry, due to the fact that it makes it impossible to keep production plants in operation.
In Nicaragua, the largest producer in Central America, the price of a metric ton increased from $602 in May 2013 to $1676 in May this year.
Of the 'seda' variety of red beans, the countries with the largest price increases are El Salvador and Nicaragua, with increases of 80% and 178%, respectively. Guatemala reports a 130% increase in the 'rojo tinto' variety of red beans, according to the Agricultural Council (CAC).
Traders have asked Procompetencia to investigate the poultry industry because of egg shortages affecting the country.
In a new chapter in an old story about the egg market in Nicaragua, now traders from markets in Managua have asked the Procompetencia institution to investigate the poultry industry for a supposed shortage of one of the main food ingredients.
In order to address the problems of scarcity and shortages, the government announced massive food imports, without having yet specified of which products.
Under the framework of the II South American Congress of Oil and Gas, held in Margarita Island (northeast), the vice president of economy, Rafael Ramirez, said that "in order to solve two problems that are affecting us a lot, which is the matter of shortages and which causes significant inflationary pressure, we are preparing an offensive, massive food imports. "