Agriculture

Agriculture Minister Moisés Molina says Honduras faces no food shortage and markets are adequately stocked despite recent weather damage, with new harvests expected from mid-September onward.

A severe drought devastating southern Honduras has destroyed crops, and farmers are pleading for rainfall in September to salvage the year's final harvest.

A severe drought in Guajiquiro, La Paz, has destroyed corn and bean crops for approximately 1,500 farming families across 44 communities, threatening food security and forcing residents to seek alternative income while the municipality requests 4.5 million lempiras monthly (about $180,000) in government assistance.

A severe drought in Caridad, Valle, has wiped out up to 100% of some harvests and depleted water supplies, affecting about 800 farmers, with the mayor warning that reduced local production could drive up food prices as dependence on outside sources grows.

Gabriela Castellanos, executive director of the National Anti-Corruption Council, criticized the government's handling of a drought affecting dozens of Honduran municipalities, calling it "political negligence" and warning that state efforts remain insufficient for a structural crisis.

Farmers in Sabanagrande, Francisco Morazán, are turning to hydroponic farming to maintain food production and cope with water scarcity amid climate variability.

The mayor of San Miguelito in Francisco Morazán reports that severe drought has destroyed all crops and forced farmers to sell cattle at half their normal price, with no rain since May and water sources running dry.

Farmers and livestock producers in Yoro have lost an estimated 150 million lempiras (about $6 million) to drought, with corn crops failing, milk production down 40%, and cattle herds shrinking as pasture vanishes and rural employment collapses.

Agriculture Minister Moisés Molina ruled out a famine despite what he called the worst drought on record hitting 75 municipalities, saying Honduras has sufficient food stocks and future grain contracts, even as local mayors report total crop losses and hundreds of cattle deaths.

Adverse weather and crop failures in Piraera, Lempira are forcing agricultural families to sell livestock to cover basic needs, prompting the mayor to call on the government for rural support.

A National Congress member from Yoro requested urgent intervention from the Agriculture Ministry to address severe drought in the Alto Aguán region of Olanchito, where lack of rainfall has depleted livestock feed and threatened cattle producers' livelihoods.

The government will fund about 3,000 water-harvesting reservoirs nationwide, using geomembranes to store seasonal rainfall for livestock and irrigation during dry months, as drought has killed 300 cattle and cut milk output by 50% on unprepared farms.

A Liberal congressman from Yoro has introduced a bill to establish a permanent climate-resilience fund for Honduras's farm and livestock sector, aimed at funding water infrastructure, emergency response, and productivity support amid prolonged drought and extreme weather affecting rural areas.

Honduras unveiled a 2026–2030 incentive strategy for agriculture with FAO support, aiming to attract investment, create jobs, incorporate technology, and boost competitiveness in a sector that contributes 13% of GDP and over a third of exports.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization called on Central American countries to strengthen strategic grain reserves to protect food security during the expected 2026–2027 El Niño, which forecasters say will bring reduced rainfall, more frequent droughts, and crop damage across the region.

Honduras's atmospheric authority warns that rainfall expected in August will fall short of levels needed to restore soil moisture for agricultural planting, particularly in vulnerable regions.

The government, agro-industry, and producer associations agreed on a bulk purchase price of 680 lempiras per quintal (about $27 per 100 lb) of white corn for the 2026–2027 agricultural cycle, with agro-industrial buyers committing to purchase 880,000 to 1.4 million quintals.

The agricultural marketing institute reports Honduras holds 120,000 quintals (about 5,400 metric tons) of beans in reserve and rules out imports for now, citing adequate stocks and new harvests expected within 45 days from multiple regions despite ongoing dry conditions.

Honduran onion growers met with the Agriculture Ministry to press for relief from imports they say threaten local planting and supply.

Credit to Honduras's private sector is growing, with most new lending to businesses concentrated in services, real estate, and agriculture, the Central Bank reports.

President Nasry Asfura announced $17 million in additional funding to expand ProOccidente, a rural development program, into Honduras's Dry Corridor, aiming to provide technical assistance, climate-smart technologies, financing, and market access to over 4,500 small and medium-sized farmers.

The Agriculture Ministry convened dairy-industry leaders to review production challenges, market stability, and supply strategies, with officials reporting that Honduras produces roughly 1.7 million liters of milk daily and prices remain stable through July.

Honduran onion producers say they may suspend planting next season if the government fails to enforce a 2023 agricultural decree that restricts imports when local supplies are sufficient, warning of potential national shortages and market disruption.

Agroindustrial leader Gustavo Flores cautioned that climate change could disrupt Honduras's agricultural output and threaten the country's food security and access to basic grains.

The Agriculture Ministry called together the National Dairy Commission to review milk-sector conditions, price trends, and develop joint strategies between producers and industry to ensure steady national milk supply.

Honduras's agricultural sector expanded 4.5%, driven by increased coffee, banana, fruit, and palm oil production, while fishing grew on higher shrimp and tilapia exports.

The Agriculture Ministry will spend 140 million lempiras (about $5.6 million) rehabilitating irrigation districts to improve water efficiency and boost crop production on 12,000 hectares, helping farmers adapt to climate variability.

The Agriculture Ministry announced a L140-million investment (about $5.6 million USD) to rehabilitate irrigation districts across Honduras, aiming to improve water efficiency, strengthen farm production, and help farmers withstand droughts and climate variability.

Honduras is planting 1,000 manzanas (about 700 hectares) with high-yield certified rice seed imported from the Dominican Republic in a pilot program costing roughly 5 million lempiras (about $187,000) to improve grain quality and reduce import dependence.

Honduras's avocado producers are preparing to export to Europe and Asia through training, technical support, and partnerships with international cooperators, building on the country's annual production of over 15 million pounds.