In Central America more than 6 million people search online and participate in conversations associated with dairy products, with ice cream, fudge and yogurt being some of the products with the greatest presence in consumer interactions.
An analysis of consumer interests and preferences in Central America, prepared by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, yields interesting results on people's preferences and tastes in food and other types of products or services.
In Panama, the agribusiness sector and the government agreed to review all legal details to assess an increase from 15% to 30% in the import tariff for mozzarella cheeses.
This week, the country's dairy agribusiness sector met with President Juan Carlos Varela and representatives of the Ministries of Agricultural Development and Trade and Industries.
As a result of barriers imposed by El Salvador on dairy products from Nicaragua and the crisis in the country, in the first half of the year sales reports showed a year-on-year fall of 9%.
According to statistics from the Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN) in the first six months of the year cheese exports totaled $54 million, 9% less than the $60 million recorded in the same period in 2017.
In 2016 Central American countries imported 74,573 tons of cheese and curd, 4% more than in 2015.
Figures from the information system on the Cheese and Curd Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData : [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with the graph"]
The Cabinet Council approved a decree that seeks to increase import tariffs of dairy products, such as substitute milk and mozzarella cheese, from 15% to 30%.
From a statement issued by the Presidency of Panama:
The Cabinet Council approved a decree that seeks to increase import tariffs on dairy products, such as substitute milk and mozzarella cheese, from 15% to 30%.
Infant milk formula and yogurt are the derivatives which recorded the highest increases in demand between September 2015 and August 2016, compared to the same period last year.
The figures presented in the National Dairy Congress in Costa Rica, held in October, indicate that demand for dairy products grew at a rate of 6.5% last year, driven by increased demand for products such as yogurt in its different presentations, milk formula and cheese, among things.
Formalizing the sector and improving the implementation of sanitary measures would make it possible to exploit the export potential and take advantage of growing international demand.
It has been reported that there are 37 cheese processing plants certified by the Institute of Animal and Plant Health Protection (IPSA), 36 of which make cheese for export.Figures from the Business Intelligence unit at CentralAmericaData com indicate thatin 2015 Nicaragua led the export of milk and milk productsin the region, with $200 million worth of products sold.The country's dairy export potential can be better exploited in order to improve sales of cheese abroad.
Prawns, cheese, honey, vegetables, peanut oil, peanuts, raw sugar and fruits are some of the products that people want to have duty free status under the FTA.
In the framework of bilateral negotiations for free trade between the two countries, Nicaraguan businessmen pointed out that there are several products that are in the list for staged tax relief, such as shrimp, cheese, honey, vegetables, peanut oil, peanuts, sugar raw and fruits, but they are looking for a"better tariff treatment"for others that are pending negotiations.
Complaints are being made over the sampling process used to verify product quality which is causing delays, forcing goods to be kept at the border for up to 15 days.
The union of the dairy sector in Nicaragua says that the waiting time for the results of the quality test is not supposed to be more than 8 days, but when samples are sent which were taken from El Amatillo to San Salvador, the process is much longer.
Dairy imports into Honduras remained stable between 2013 and 2014, increasing by only 4% in each year, making a total of $42 million worth of imports in 2014.
Within the sector of dairy imports the product which increased the most was milk and cream , going from $15 million in 2013 to $20 million in 2014, which is an increase of 33% in imports.
However, imports of fresh cheese (unripened), including whey cheese, and curd, recorded a reduction of 43%, going from $8.3 million in 2013 to $4.7 million in 2014.
An initiative by exporters of dairy products is seeking to meet the requirements for a designation of origin or "country brand" for cheese produced and exported from Nicaragua.
The goal of the Nicaraguan Development Institute (INDE) and the dairy sector is to promote the export of cheese by getting an declaration of origin, as possessed by cheeses exported from El Salvador, produced, in most cases, with Nicaraguan raw material.
It is increasingly common to find in major Chinese cities imported food stores and supermarkets with wide ranges of products like chocolates, cheeses and beers.
From a statement issued by the Costa Rica Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER):
The transition China has experienced has allowed imports to go from being expensive and difficult to being readily available.
While the average milk consumption per person in Central America is less than 100 kilos per year, Costa Ricans consume twice that amount in the time span.
According to the Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER) from 2009 to 2013, imports of dairy products grew by 80%. The top dairy products entering the market are cheeses, due to product diversification, the positive attitude of local consumers to new flavors and the high resistance of the product during transportation and distribution.
Entrepreneurs in both sectors celebrated the exclusion of these products from the Free Trade Agreement between Panama and Mexico.
Entrepreneurs in the National Cattlemen's Association (Anagan) and the Pig Breeders Association of Panama (Anapor) welcomed the decision in the FTA negotiations that took into account the request to withdraw these products from the Treaty.