Pharmaceutical products, plastic, food preparations, sugar and confectionery, and electrical cables are the main products that are sold to companies in the Dominican Republic.
Figures from the information system "Trade between Central America and the Dominican Republic", compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Clic to interact with the chart"]
Coffee and tobacco farms in Panama increase their performance when they are used not only as farms but also as rural tourism destinations.
Agricultural production combined with recreation and tourist attraction has created additional financial income for Panamanian producers. According to statistics from the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) released by Laestrella.com.pa, the number of agritourism farms in the country rose from 28 in 2014 to 220 in 2015.
From May 7th to 9th in Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic, local producers and exporters will be meeting with companies and international buyers to explore business opportunities.
From a statement issued by from the Dominican Agribusiness Board:
The Dominican Agribusiness Board (JAD) and the Center for Export and Investment of the Dominican Republic (CEI-RD), with support from various public and private institutions, has unveiled the details of the fifth edition of the International Food, Tobacco and Beverages Fair: Agrifood 2015, to be held from 7 to 9 May at the Convention Center of the Dominican Fiesta Hotel in Santo Domingo.
In an attempt to increase tax revenues, the executive announced that it is now considering taxing the distribution of soft drinks such as juices, isotonics and sodas.
It is expected that in the first week of February analysis will be presented of modifications to the tax on the distribution of beverages and on tobacco and tobacco products, with the aim of obtaining more resources to finance the national budget for this year.
The Executive is considering increasing taxes on cigarettes and alcoholic beverages as an option for balancing the 2015 budget.
With the provisional suspension of the tax on telephone lines the Guatemalan government is left with a deficit $237 million, approximately, which is why it is looking at bridging the gap using new taxes on liquor and cigarettes, as the main alternative.
The member countries of the Framework Convention for the Control of Tobacco have approved raising taxes on the tobacco industry.
This new document seeks to "... strengthen measures relating to applicable taxes and prices in order to reduce consumption and the number of deaths from consumption of tobacco, as it is closely related to the cost of the product."
A statutory amendment will allow Brazil to use a World Trade Organization quota to export beef to the United States.
Nicaraguan producers and exporters have raised concerns about the possible impact of changes in trade policies which are being discussed by the U.S. Congress, which directly affect the export of peanuts, tobacco and meat, the latter product due to possible entry of beef from Brazil.
In Nicaragua peanuts, sugar cane and tobacco have been held up as examples of how productivity can be increased in agriculture.
In 2006 one hectare of sugar cane in Nicaragua produced 66 tons, and five years later, in 2011, it produced 89 tons. Improvements in the use of technology and the search for the most suitable varieties of canes are part of the strategies that have enabled the industry to achieve outstanding levels of performance when compared with other countries in the region.
A new commission set up by the Ministry of Health will regulate advertising of tobacco and alcohol and will look at increasing taxes.
The National Commission for the Prevention of Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases and Cancer, established by the Ministry of Health and Welfare will be responsible for the regulation of advertising of snuff and alcohol and also promote the consumption of healthy foods.
Tobacco leaf producers will still export to Europe and America, while the industry will decline at the same pace as the contraction of the domestic market.
Elperiodico.com.gt reports on Deloitte's study presented by British American Tobacco (BAT), which notes that "in 2011 there were 15.7 million kilos of tobacco leaf for export, which generated $52.8 million in foreign exchange according to statistics from the Bank of Guatemala (Banguat).
Arguing that smuggled cigarettes account for up to 60% of consumption in Central America and because of excessive export regulations, the tobacco company has ceased its operations after 50 years of being in the country.
Tabacalera Centroamericana S.A. (Tacasa) closed its plant in Boca del Monte, where for 50 years it has produced cigarette brands like Marlboro Rubios y L&M.
In the first 5 months of 2012 the export of raw tobacco from Guatemala reached only 6% of the $50 million made from in exports during 2011.
According to Carlos Martinez, an analyst at the Institute of National Problems at the University of San Carlos (Ipnusac), this is partly due to a contraction of demand resulting from the global crisis.
The Pan American Health Organization denounced the continued interference by the tobacco industry in the passing of antismoking laws in the countries of the Americas.
Washington, D.C., 31 May 2012 (PAHO/WHO) - The tobacco industry continues to interfere with tobacco control policies in the Americas and these efforts have intensified since the 2005 entry into force of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Once publicized in the official newspaper, the new law passed by the Guatemalan Congress on 27th January, will take effect from February 25th .
The new law restores the higher tax rate on tobacco which had been removed last year and establishes special invoices for farmers, among other things.
Siglo21.com.gt in its publication reports, "The new law has 75 articles in which there are amendments to Value Added Tax (VAT), and taxes on land, sea and air vehicles. There are also reforms to the Tax Code, Law on Revenue Stamps and Stamped Paper Protocols, Law on Tobacco and related products, and finally a change to articles and their reforms in the Penal Code. "
Congress has restored a higher tax rate on tobacco, one that had been eliminated last year, and has decided to establish special invoices for farmers.
Guatemala's Congress has approved the so-called Anti-Evasion Act II, with 120 votes out of a total of 158, which, among other things, restores the higher tobacco tax rate, abolished in 2011.
With the elimination of this tax, the state has failed to collect Q20 million ($2.56 million) annually, according to an article in Siglo21.com.gt.
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