In Nicaragua some coffee growers have decided to replace their crops with avocado plantations, because the international price of coffee has reported low prices in recent years.
Friday, September 6, 2019
According to reports from CentralAmericaData, in the last seven years the average price of regional coffee exports has registered a clear decreasing trend, going from $4.86 per kilo in January 2012 to $2.57 at the beginning of 2019.
You may be interested in “Crops in Central America: Main Figures in 2018”
This has put a strain on producers in the region. Elnuevodiario.com.ni reviews that “... Aldo Rappaciolli Lacayo, who for many years represented the coffee growers of the department of Carazo, that this guild is in a critical situation and that for that reason 20% of producers have opted to replace their coffee plantations, which were no longer profitable, with avocados and that others have also diversified their properties with citrus.”
Rappacciolli added that “… The coffee sector in Carazo is experiencing hardship because the price is on the ground in the international market. The plantations no longer give the same quality of coffee of yesteryear and production costs have increased.”
Currently avocado producers market their crops in Costa Rica, but future plans are to export the fruit to the U.S. and Europe, as oil, pasta and guacamole.
