REGION |
Food security. The Central American Integration System (Sica) will coordinate two three-year programmes aimed at improving food security in the region, at a cost of US$38.68m, most of which will come from the European Union (EU). The announcement comes as governments across the region grapple with sharp price rises for beans, corn and other food staples, following local shortages due to climate change as well as a general rise in global food prices. Last month Honduras extended a two-month price freeze on 33 basic goods by 20 days. This was introduced last November after food price inflation hit 6.8% year-on-year in October, the highest since May 2009. In El Salvador, where the price of red beans, a key staple, increased 138% over the year, from US$0.52 to US$1.24 per pound, the government announced that, as of next month, it will begin importing some nine million pounds of beans from China at a cost of US$5m. Meanwhile in Guatemala, where chronic malnutrition is particularly acute, affecting 43% of the population, President Alvaro Colom announced on 10 February a waiver on tariffs on imports of 82,000t of maize and 25,000t of wheat flour imports; since the start of 2011, flour prices have increased 18% while in the final week of January maize prices increased 15%.
Overall, Nicaragua registered the highest inflation for 2010 (9.2%), followed by Honduras (6.5%); Guatemala (5.4%); Costa Rica (4.8%), and Panama (3.5%).
NICARAGUA |
Remittances. Remittances reached US$823m in 2010, 7% up on 2009, the central bank reported. It is forecasting a further 5.1% increase in 2011 in remittances, most of which come from the US and Costa Rica.
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