PFID News
NICARAGUA DEVELOPMENTS—PLANTAINS
First Shipment of Nicaraguan Plantains Reach U.S.
Fifty-nine small and medium–size plantain producers built two packaging plants and are exporting one container of plantains per week to the United States. The companies have signed contracts with U.S. buyers to export about 6 million pounds of plantains over the next year. Michigan State University helped increase Nicaraguan farmers market access through the USAID-funded Partnerships for Food Industry Development. More than 200 farmers will benefit, and $3.5 million exports and 2,500 jobs are expected. At the inauguration of the packaging plants, U.S. Ambassador to Nicaragua, Barbara Moore, said the export expansion and new jobs illustrated the benefits of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). If producers are competitive in price and quality, she said, the doors to the U.S. market—with a sales potential of 12 million pounds of plantains per year—will be completely opened.
Partnerships for Food Industry Development—FRUITS & VEGETABLES
Michigan State University
409 Agriculture Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824
PH: 1–517–432–2214
Fax: 1–517–353–5149
Visit the Institute of International
Agriculture at Michigan State University for more international projects:
See also the new Global Horticultural Markets webpage, providing up-to-date information on MSU horticultural research, on-going projects, Michigan fruit industries and their global linkages:Click Here
