Browse Honduras Daily Stories

Agricultural leaders are calling on authorities to rotate Honduras's 120,000-quintal (about 5,400 metric tons) strategic bean reserve at IHMA to prevent deterioration and maintain stable prices as 600,000 quintals of new harvest arrive in coming weeks.

A carton of 30 eggs increased by 6 lempiras (about $0.24) at Tegucigalpa's farmers' market, adding to growing consumer concerns over recurring price hikes in basic food staples.

Honduras's shrimp producers face mounting losses from drought-driven higher salinity in ponds, production costs up 15–18%, and depressed international prices worsened by Ecuadorian oversupply, threatening employment in the southern region.

State institutions have accumulated over 20 billion lempiras (roughly $800 million) in unpaid electricity bills to ENEE, with much of the debt dating back more than 15 years; the utility is auditing its accounts receivable and also grappling with 34% energy losses due partly to theft.

BCH president Roberto Lagos projects inflation will continue easing to about 5.5% in August from nearly 6%, while international reserves reached a record $11.7 billion, equivalent to seven months of import coverage and strengthening financial stability.

The electricity regulator said it will evaluate the Liberal Party's counterproposal for power-sector reforms, insisting any changes must balance lower tariffs, fair competition, and fiscal impact while rejecting open-ended incentives.

Honduras's customs agency collected L41 billion ($1.64 billion) through July 30, exceeding its mid-year target by more than 102%, with strong inflows from merchandise imports, vehicles, and fuel driving confidence it will surpass the full-year goal of L69 billion.

The private-sector council COHEP warns that rising fuel, energy, and input costs are accelerating company closures, with about 80% of microenterprises failing within five years and leadership transitions adding further risk.

The Cortés Chamber of Commerce president cited a sharp trade deficit with China—Honduras imports about $210 million monthly in Chinese goods while exporting far less—and called for equal competitive conditions and enforcement of tax and labor laws for all foreign investors.

The Central Bank of Honduras forecasts full-year 2026 GDP growth of 3 to 4 percent, supported by agricultural exports and household consumption, though the outlook depends heavily on global oil and coffee prices and international trade tensions.

Honduras's international reserves rose $1.26 billion to $11.56 billion in the first six months of 2026, a gain President Asfura credits to fiscal discipline and responsible management of public resources.

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 shrimp sector, concentrated in Choluteca and Valle departments, maintains steady production and generates $230–$270 million yearly in foreign exchange while supporting roughly 20,000 direct jobs and 100,000 indirect positions across the supply chain.

Honduras's maquiladora sector lost roughly 40,000 jobs in 2025 as companies closed and relocated, even as the government announces a potential 4,000-job textile plant and says a US tariff on Honduran goods is straining competitiveness.

The Attorney General's office says the Economic Reactivation Law has reduced damages awarded in lawsuits against the state by roughly half through settlement agreements between public institutions and plaintiffs.

The head of Honduras's electricity regulator says delays in the Liberal Party's response to proposed power-sector reforms risk prolonging electricity supply problems and preventing competitive bidding processes needed to lower rates.

Honduras's Central Bank is implementing measures to absorb excess money circulating in the economy and stabilize resources, as inflation reached 5.83% year-over-year in June, while president Roberto Lagos cited supply-driven pressures and limited scope for interest-rate policy.

Honduras's national university economic institute forecasts the lempira will weaken to 27.15 per dollar by end-2026 and 27.98 per dollar by end-2027, a slower pace than 2025's 4.16% decline, while international reserves remain strong at 11.45 billion dollars.

Honduras's Energy Ministry says 378,920 homes — about 15% of the country — lack electricity, with rural areas most affected and infrastructure investment needed to close the gap.

Honduras deposited its ratification of the ICSID convention on July 17, becoming the 159th state to join the World Bank dispute-settlement mechanism for foreign-investment disputes, effective August 16.

Union leader Evangelina Argueta warned that potential US tariffs on Honduran textile exports could raise production costs and threaten thousands of jobs in an industry already reeling from 60,000 layoffs, and called for urgent tripartite talks between government, workers, and employers.

Vendors at the Feria del Agricultor are absorbing a recent L2-per-pound cost rise to keep beef prices stable, though drought threatening cattle feed may force adjustments in coming weeks.

The private-sector business council says Honduras should borrow the $400 million CAF financing to strengthen the housing bank and spur construction, but opposes debt used only to cover government operating costs.

The head of Honduras's apparel manufacturers association is calling on the government to negotiate zero tariffs with the United States for agricultural goods and auto parts, matching Mexico's treatment, to boost competitiveness as the Trump administration considers new trade measures.

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.

Economist Julio Raudales says the Central Bank of Honduras's inflation target of 5–6% is reachable if monetary policy remains disciplined and external shocks do not occur, though he cautions that balancing price control with economic growth remains a key challenge.

Honduras's labor federations say they will immediately seek a minimum-wage adjustment if inflation reaches 7%, invoking a safeguard clause in the current wage agreement, citing rising fuel and food costs eroding workers' purchasing power.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Cortés warned that international companies have suspended investment plans in Honduras pending the outcome of U.S. tariff negotiations, citing concern that a 10% tariff and potential further restrictions could push capital to competing Central American countries and hurt the manufacturing and job sectors.

Economic Development Minister Eddy Ordóñez said Honduras hopes the United States will hold tariffs steady or reduce them when current rates expire on July 24, and noted the government has removed non-tariff barriers and approved a forced-labor ban to support bilateral negotiations.

The Central Bank of Honduras released its updated 2026–2027 monetary program, projecting inflation will converge to its 4.0% ± 1 percentage-point target by December 2026 and tightening money-supply measures to combat price pressures that reached 5.83% in June.