Browse Honduras Daily Stories

Drought across Honduras has driven onion prices up five lempiras per pound and potatoes up two lempiras per pound at major markets, squeezing household budgets as consumers report their food money no longer stretches far enough.

Vice Minister of Coffee José Francisco Ordóñez said drought damage will force Honduras to reduce projected coffee exports to 7 million quintals (about 315,000 metric tons) in 2027, with one million quintals diverted to domestic consumption due to quality losses, though the government will invest 53 million lempiras (about $2.1 million) in farm support and road repairs.

Agricultural producers say the fall planting season faces obstacles without adequate financing, crop insurance, and climate protections, with fears of reduced acreage and threats to grain supplies as drought continues to damage current crops.

Former ENEE general manager Salomón Ordóñez warns that Honduras's largest hydroelectric reservoir has lost 50% of its generating capacity due to drought, with power-sector reform results expected in two to three years.

Year-on-year inflation in Honduras reached 6.20% in August 2026, driven by rising fuel, food, and electricity costs amid adverse weather that has damaged agricultural output and pushed 64% of the goods and services in the consumer basket higher.

Miguel Aguilar, president of the STENEE electrical workers' union, says Hondurans are exhausted by rolling blackouts driven by drought, low reservoir levels, and diesel shortages, and urges the government to pursue long-term fixes—including over 1,800 megawatts of new generation capacity rather than the 600 megawatts announced.

Honduras's National Congress and the World Food Programme finalized a technical cooperation agreement to address severe drought affecting over 100 municipalities, targeting immediate food aid and longer-term irrigation and agricultural infrastructure.

Mayors from Lempira municipalities reported 100% crop losses from ongoing drought and traveled to Tegucigalpa seeking government relief, while the national farm federation warned Honduras should be declared in emergency.

Southern Honduras's shrimp industry faces over 30% mortality and potential losses of at least $25 million due to severe drought and below-normal rainfall, with 8,000–9,000 jobs at risk in the next six to eight months.

Consumer defender Adalid Irías warned that basic-basket prices could exceed L17,000 (about $680) by year-end, driven by holiday demand, drought conditions, and the broader dry corridor affecting 75 municipalities.

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.

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.

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.

Red beans jumped 5 lempiras to 110–116 lempiras per measure at Tegucigalpa's Feria del Estadio market this week, with producers warning of further increases in about three weeks as the new harvest arrives; onions, beets, corn, pataste (chayote squash), and cauliflower also rose due to low supply from prolonged dry weather.

Congressman Hugo Noé Pino of the Libre party warned that the El Niño drought's damage to food production will push inflation above 5% in the second half of 2026, and called for contingency plans to protect food security in hardest-hit regions.

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.

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.

A UNAH researcher warns that 750,000 Hondurans face severe food insecurity in July–August, while 1.4 million more experience moderate insecurity, with drought and flooding threatening to worsen the crisis.

Honduras's basic food basket jumped 800 lempiras (about $32) in a year, a 6.16% increase driven by higher meat and fruit costs, while drought affecting 75 municipalities threatens to push 2.8 million Hondurans into food insecurity by year's end.

The government approved imports of corn, beans, and rice to manage domestic supply and control prices amid drought, while the agriculture ministry pursues higher-yield rice seeds to boost national production.

Prices for vegetables and legumes at Tegucigalpa's Feria del Agricultor have risen sharply—potatoes up 2 lempiras per pound, broccoli up 5, and red onions up 10–20—as drought in major farming zones like Lepaterique has cut production.

Engineer Dulio Medina cautioned that Honduras faces a possible shortage of beans and other staple grains after drought and planting failures in Olancho and El Paraíso reduced crop supply for coming weeks.

A month-long drought has cut crop yields across key farming regions and pushed vegetable prices sharply higher at Tegucigalpa's main produce market, with merchants warning of further increases if rains do not return.

The Vice Minister of Coffee said Honduras has sufficient supplies of beans and corn to meet domestic demand despite drought affecting several regions of the country.

Beef prices in Honduras have climbed 4 lempiras over two weeks due to livestock shortages caused by drought and reduced pastureland, with vendors absorbing much of the increase to hold retail prices at roughly 100 lempiras per pound (about $4).