Agricultural investments are being planned in the area of the future FTN (Franja Transversal del Norte) highway in Guatemala's north.
Some of the possible investments being analyzed by agriculture businessmen include plantations, processing plants and developing a forestry industry.
Prensalibre.com reported: "Marco Tulio García, president of cooperative 'Cuatro Pinos', who owns a mini-vegetable exporting facility in Santiago Sacatepéquez, confirmed ... they are undertaking studies for installing a packing facility in the area of the future highway, in order to export from there".
The Government, in association with the exporting companies will promote productive projects, expected to create 31 thousand jobs.
Elperiodico.com.gt publishes: "The governmental commitment is to provide $22.2 million (Q175 million) in projects run by the Agricultural en Economics ministeries, whilst the exporting companies will invest $10.2 million (Q80.7 million)"
President Álvaro Colom of Guatemala announced that he will propose a US$292 million increase in the Defense Ministry's budget for next year.
Speaking after a military parade, Colom said the increase was necessary to modernize the army, whose budget had stagnated since 1996. "The armed forces need to be able to respond to the threat of organized crime, which is precisely what we're fighting," he added.