According to the Central Bank of Honduras (BCH), in the first quarter of 2017, Honduras exported banana for $134.6 million dollars, i.e. 12.8 percent more than in the same period last year.
Despite the fall in prices, the external trade of the fruit allowed the country to increase its profits by 15.3 million dollars more than in the same period of 2016, when the country achieved 119.3 million.
In the first quarter of 2017 the country exported 8.6 million 18-kilogram boxes, i.e. 13.1 percentage more than the 7.6 million boxes sold in the first quarter 2016.
According to the Central Bank, the increases were supported by improvements in plantations through the application of new planting, fertilization, cutting, and pest control processes.
However, revenues were affected by a 1.2 percent decline in prices.
According to the Bank's report, the banana box recorded an average value of $15.47 in the first quarter of the year. In 2016, the average value in the same period stood at 15,66 dollars.
The BCH said that the main buyers were the United States and Ireland.
Bananas are one of the country's main agricultural exports. In 2016, banana exports generated revenues of 456 million dollars.
Source: prensa-latina.cu