Colombian Coffee Scarcity Distorts MarketsWednesday, June 24, 2009 The scarce supply of Colombian coffee is causing big distortions in international markets. In New York’s market, premium Colombian coffee is trading at very high prices, averaging $0.70 per pound, because of the shortage in supply from the South American country, caused by bad climate and a plan for reforestation. Panama's Stagnant Agriculture SectorTuesday, March 6, 2012 Unlike other sectors of Panama's dynamic economy, agriculture has not progressed in the last decade. In the last 10 years, the number of hectares devoted to agriculture has reduced by 70,687, while the number of producers has only increased by 6% to a total of 246,820. Costa Rica: Call for Monopoly on BiofuelsFriday, March 27, 2015 Palm producers claim to have sufficient inventory and are asking for exclusivity in the supply of raw material for the production of biofuels. Industry representatives argue that they currently have a surplus of 130,000 tons of oil being exported in order to generate biofuel in other countries. The proposal submitted by the producers to lawmakers in the Special Standing Committee on the Environment aims to "... Panama: Tax Incentives for AgricultureMonday, April 15, 2013 The benefits system which will replace the Export Promotion Certificates, will be extended to producers supplying export industries. The measures which will replace the Export Promotion Certificates (CEFA)- use of which has to be eliminated as it is considered an export subsidies prohibited by the trade agreements signed by Panama - will be soft loans, productivity bonuses, loans with grace periods of several years, incentives for reforestation, for improving the working environment and / or food security, among other things. Trade Border Closed HondurasTuesday, June 30, 2009 The governments of Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador are closing their trade borders with Honduras for 48 hours. The Guatemalan export sector expressed its worries about the commercial impact of the decision. Honduras is the fifth largest trade partner after the United States, El Salvador, Mexico and China, with trade worth $3 million each day. Trade with US up by 20 percent in two years of CaftaTuesday, July 1, 2008 Trade in some of the countries involved has grown by 20 percent since the introduction two years ago of the Cafta accord between the United States and Central America and the Dominican Republic, according to US Department of Trade figures. The Cafta countries – excluding Costa Rica, which las a latecomer to the pact – by the end of last year had registered exports of US18.75 billion to the United States, while recording imports of close on US$22.41 billion. Colom forces Guatemala's farmers to grow basic grainsWednesday, June 4, 2008 President Alvaro Colom has stirred controversy in Guatemala by invoking a 1974 law that obliges people with large landholdings to use at least 10 percent of them for the cultivation of basic grains. Sugarcane growers, exporters, business leaders and economic analysts have all said the measure is wrongheaded. But Colom maintained that, though the law had never been invoked for years, "it remains the law of the land and must be obeyed." Guatemala: Agricultural production increases 4%Thursday, November 8, 2018 Because of the coffee production performance, during the second quarter of the year the Guatemalan agricultural GDP grew 4% compared to the same period in 2017. From the statement of the Chamber of Agriculture of Guatemala: Guatemala: More Palm Oil PlantationsThursday, August 25, 2011 Palm oil plantation areas in the country are increasing at an average rate of 8,000 hectares per year. In an area of 90 hectares, farms are currently producing 140,000 metric tons of oil, of which 100,000 are exported to Mexico and Central America and the rest is consumed in the local market. In 2010, exports totaled $125.7 million. Forest Concessions Grow in GuatemalaTuesday, August 30, 2011 The size of areas granted as forest concessions to communities, mainly in the northern Peten zone, rose from 510,000 hectares in 2007 to 680,000 in 2011. In the area, seventy-two companies certified by Rainforest Alliance, predict that they will generate exports worth $9 million in 2011, said Jose Roman, regional manager for the Central America and Caribbean ‘Trees’ Program by Rainforest Alliance. Sugar Shortages in the USAThursday, April 14, 2011 Frosts in Florida in 2010 affected harvests and have led to a shortage that the US department of agriculture (USDA) states it will meet by increasing imports. An article on ElSalvador.com reports that, "the USDA annual sugar imports program increased purchases to 1.41 million tons in 2011 as a result of reassigning almost 295,000 tons away from domestic growers". New Palm Oil PlantTuesday, December 18, 2012 From January 2013 a new plant in Honduras will be operational, producing African palm oil and having a capacity to process 650 tons per day. Corporación Industrial Sula (COINSU), which is made up of 453 small producers from the Atlantic coastline, invested $10 million in the plant in Río Blanquito, Choloma, in Cortés, and plans new investment stages to make the amount up to $15 million. Meat and Bananas from Honduras Not Going to EuropeWednesday, May 29, 2013 Due to lack of product, or because of technical or commercial deficiencies, Honduran banana farmers and are not ready to take advantage of the benefits granted them by the trade agreement with Europe. The livestock sector feels it is at a disadvantage in competing for and meeting demand. According to Gilberto Moreno, director of the Association of Ranchers and Farmers from Sula (Agas) the beef cattle segment, "at the moment is not exporting to Europe because the paperwork is not ready." Company Profile Organization that operates in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama.
Agriculture Absorbs the Unemployed from ConstructionMonday, April 6, 2009 In Costa Rica, the agricultural sector absorbs workers unemployed by construction. The construction sector in Costa Rica, which faces a significant slowdown, laid off more than 17,000 workers at the end of 2008 as a product of the crisis. However, these workers were absorbed by rice, pineapple, sugar and coffee production. |
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