According to sources from the Vegetables Commission of the Nicaraguan Association of Producers and Exporters (APEN), Nicaragua imports 730,000 quintals of various vegetables, making balance in the sector impossible.
Representatives of APEN, UNA and FAO during the announcement of the 1st National Forum for Vegetables
But then, what is being done to improve this situation which is bleeding producers dry?
Some affirm that there is a lack of quality, safety and investment. Others point to the fact that it is necessary to give value added to the product. As a whole, these elements can change the history of the sector and allow it to begin supplying 90% of the national market, while at the same time, improving the current export volumes.
That is the goal for the Vegetables Commission of the Nicaraguan Association of Producers and Exporters (APEN), which on 10 July will organise a forum to look for solutions to the current problems and break with the dependency on imported products, as pointed out by the coordinator of the Commission, Álvaro Travers.
"60% of all the vegetables we eat are imported, when we should be exporting 80 to 90% and importing just 10 to 20%, because we have enough land to cultivate on," he explained.
Nicaragua imports vegetables from Costa Rica, Guatemala, The Netherlands and the US.
Source: El Nuevo Diario