In these months there was a drop of 488,447.61 sacks of 46 kilograms compared to the last cycle. Restanted for sending 432,938.01 bags to fulfill projection
The projected target of 6.5 million sacks of the 46 kilogram aromatic that would be sent abroad and exceed $1.3 billion (more than 32.2 billion lempiras) in revenue could not be achieved by 30 September, some producers also exporting the agricultural product consulted by EL HERALDO agreed.
Of the almost 12 months that have elapsed this coffee year, this newspaper verified with statistical information from the Honduran Institute of Coffee (Ihcafé) that January and April 2024 have been the periods with the most negative figures when compared to the last harvest.
Although 711,213.82 bags of the puppy grain were exported in April that left profits of more than $141.2 million (3,5 billion lempiras), a difference of 255,714.23 bags and $59.6 million (almost L1.5 billion) were reported compared to the same month of the coffee year 2022-2023.
At 446,564.15 bags of 46 kilograms of the commodity, shipments in January amounted to $85.7 million, however, there was an annual deficit of 232,733.38 sacks and $44.4 million.
While during this cycle the international price of coffee rose to $200 has not been enough for overseas sales to have an improvement.
Last February and March alone, a surplus in exports was reached, representing a cumulative of $17.6 million (more than 430 million lempiras) for 15,138.52 and 1099,563.32 bags of the aromatic sold, respectively.
Marketing
A total of 6.06 million bags of coffee added exports until 24 September, reflecting a 12% reduction (850,818 bags) in contrast to the 6.91 million bags counted for the same date of the previous cycle, according to the latest marketing bulletin issued by Ihcafé.
This implies that from the expected shipping target for this harvest of 6.5 million bags there is an advance of 93.3%, subtracting 432,938.01 sacks.
In the case of sales contracts they reached 6.28 million bags of the aromatic of 46 kilograms, a decrease of 665,085 bags corresponding to 10%.
Of the $1,209.3 million (almost 30 billion lempiras) was the value of exports, showing a 13% decrease when compared to the $1,383.2 million (L 34.3 billion) reported a year ago.
Honduran coffee has been shipped to 64 countries, with the main buyers in the United States, with 29 per cent of the total exported, and Germany, which acquired 19.8% as of the previous Tuesday.
Economy
Difficulties
We are a few days away from closing the coffee year and I would say that we are with positive results, perhaps we do not reach the target of the 6.5 million quintals exported; it is a coffee situation that has also come with some difficulties, but continues to generate significant amounts of foreign currency, said the general manager of the Ihcafé, Adilson Ávila.
THE HERALDO reported that for the coffee year 2022-2023 the exportable target was 7.2 million bags, however, it was met with 6.90 million bags, 96%.
Meanwhile, the Undersecretary of Coffee of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG), Carlos Murillo, expressed to this newspaper his optimism about achieving the projections defined by the institution that executes the coffee policy in the Honduran territory.
In five days of last week, exports have exceeded 350,000 quintals and I would believe that as of September 30 we have met the projection; it is worth mentioning that domestic consumption has increased and Honduras has gone on to consume 500,000 quintals of coffee in the national market, he confirmed.
The official indicated that, with the increase in the cost of the quintal of the aromatic in the external market, the bags that were still in the cellar went out to the different export destinations and the registration is disclosed once the shipping process takes effect.
The report on foreign trade in goods to the seventh month of this year of the Central Bank of Honduras (BCH) stresses that the coffee harvest has been affected by changes in climate patterns that cause the proliferation of pests and diseases in coffee plants, as well as by the lack of labour due to migratory phenomena and the biennial cycle that coffee farms are going through.
Although the average price in July (2024) decreased 1% compared to the same period of 2023, at the international level the price of aromatic reflects an upward trend particularly since April due to the concerns of lower supply in Brazil; as a result of adverse weather events (hels and sequias) in some areas of Arabic-type cultivation, generating stress in crops, adds the report.
According to preliminary forecasts, the Association of Coffee Exporters of Honduras (Adecaféh) expects 6.45 million quintals to be sent for the 2024-2025 harvest, an 8% growth.
This article has been translated after first appearing in El Heraldo