Honduras cocoa reactivation plan enters third phase

By Bufete Mejía & Asociados

Honduran cocoa production suffered a severe drop due to the devastating Hurricane Mitch, which in 1998 left millionaire damages to the country’s infrastructure and agriculture. Over twenty years later, the Competitiveness Framework Agreement (AMC) third phase is on the way, running from 2019 to 2022 to consolidate the cocoa industry focusing on quality and promotion.

According to a report by EFE news agency, Honduras seeks to position itself in international markets that demand fine and quality cocoa, which are willing to pay for better prices. For this, the country must increase its capacity in preservation and production of native and foreign species. "One of the main challenges of the AMC will be to ensure that Honduras returns to the list of fine cocoa producing countries by 2021. We hope not only to recover such recognition but also to increase it”, said Aníbal Ayala, general manager of the National Federation of Cocoa Producers of Honduras.

Among other objectives, the cocoa producers seek to establish mechanisms for adaptation to climate variability, increase the commercialized volume of cocoa, the capacity and quality of the post harvest and the production and productivity at the national level, and create the necessary conditions for future production transformation efforts to be profitable.