On Monday, government officials and diplomats from the Japanese Embassy in Honduras stated that there would be an increase in melon exports this year, because of exports to the Japanese market.
"Projections are that this will generate 300 new jobs and about five million dollars in foreign exchange earnings," i.e. some 110 million lempiras at current exchange rates, said Arnaldo Castillo, head of the Ministry of Economic Development.
He said the melon sector had to be addressed because it created jobs and foreign exchange for the country.
In the previous harvest, Honduras exported 56.8 million dollars in melons. Expectations are that melon exports this year amount to nearly 62 million dollars, i.e. more than 1,400 million lempiras.
The Japanese ambassador to Honduras, Kenji Okada, reiterated support for the country in issues of bilateral trade.
In turn, the head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG), Jacobo Paz, stated that Honduras also had the possibility of selling melons to Taiwan and South Korea.
Source: elheraldo.hn