During 2020 in the Salvadoran market, bean imports increased by 122% and rice imports by 51%, a rise that is reported in the context of the health and economic crisis generated by the outbreak of covid-19.
Figures from the Central Reserve Bank specify that between 2019 and 2020, foreign purchases of beans increased from $33 million to $60 million, and those of rice increased from $30 million to $45 million.
In the first half of 2020, Central America spent $206 million on rice imports, 50% more than in the same period in 2019, with Honduras, Panama, El Salvador and Guatemala being the markets that boosted the increase in purchases.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
Although the volume of corn, beans, and rice harvested is projected to increase in El Salvador by 2020, producers' expectations are not encouraging, since prices have fallen to levels insufficient to cover costs due to the import of basic grains.
Forecasts by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) indicate that this year the country's corn harvest will grow by 11%, beans by 30% and rice by 20%.
Between January and March 2020, Central America allocated $51 million to rice imports, 9% less than in the same period in 2019, with Costa Rica and Nicaragua being the markets that registered the most significant reductions.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graph"]
In Costa Rica, the Chamber of Commerce opposes the agreement signed between the rice sector and the government, which maintains the fixing of the price and the 35% tariff on grain imports.
The decision was made on August 23rd in the framework of the meeting in which the National Production Council (CNP), the National Rice Corporation (CONARROZ) and the Ministries of Economy, Industry and Commerce (MEIC) and Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) participated.
In order to meet local demand between May and August, the government authorized the import of 2.3 million quintals of paddy rice.
This decision was taken at an expanded meeting of the Committee on the Agrifood Chain of Rice, where its members agreed to recommend to the Executive the import of rice mentioned above, whose date of entry into the country is limited to 15 June 2020, which is recorded in the minutes of the resolution, reported the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA).
From March 2 to 16, local authorities will submit for public consultation the Draft Technical Standard, Characteristics and Technical Requirements of the Premix for the Fortification of Piled Rice.
The project on "Premix for the Fortification of Piled Rice" is the result of one of the two regulatory documents of the General Directorate of Standards and Industrial Technology (DGNTI), reported the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MICI).
Between January and September 2019, Central America allocated $198 million to rice imports, 22% less than in the same period in 2018, with Panama and El Salvador being the markets that recorded the most significant reductions.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphics"]
Arguing that there are justified reasons to increase the price of pile of rice, in Costa Rica the Alvarado administration authorized a 1.9% increase in the final price to the consumer.
With the increase decreed by the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce (MEIC), the price per kilo will rise from $1.06 to $1.08, for the variety with 20% broken grain, also known as 80/20.
As a pressure measure for the government to decree a 1.9% increase in consumer value, in Costa Rica industrialists have decided to suspend from December 2 the receipt of national grain.
According to businessmen, the price increase is pending since June 2019 and they hope that with this pressure measure, the authorities will publish the decree, in which the value of the kilo is increased from $1.06 to $1.08 for the variety with 20% broken grain, also known as 80/20.
The National Assembly of Panama approved funds to pay during the second half of the year, incentives to producers of rice, corn and milk grade C.
The Budget Commission of the National Assembly approved in favor of the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) $17,371,543, to pay incentives to producers, needs an official report.
Between June 2018 and the same month in 2019, the average price of Central American rice imports has reported a downward trend, from $0.43 to $0.34 per kilo.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graphic"]
For the 2019-2020 agricultural cycle, 67,558 hectares of grain have been planted in the country, an area that exceeds in 5% what was reported for the previous harvest.
92.2% of the total rice crop is unirrigated (62,280 hectares with 988 producers) and 7.8% is irrigated (5,278 hectares of 53 producers), informed the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA).
In El Salvador, the supply and distribution of sugar, rice, beans and corn flour for the centers of the Salvadoran Institute for the Integral Development of Children and Adolescents for the year 2020 are tendered.
español
2942