USA will provide Honduras with some corn and soybeans
By Diego Flammini, Farms.com
In an effort to expand their global agricultural reach, the United States and Honduras have signed an agreement to support agricultural trade and development.
The USDA will supply the government of Honduras with approximately 30,000 metric tons of yellow corn and 18,000 tons of soybeans, worth in the neighborhood of $17 million. The commodities are being made available through the Food for Progress Program.
The Honduran government will use the proceeds from corn and soybean sales to implement different projects aimed at improving agricultural output, giving farmers more access to markets and resources, and strengthen the local, regional and international trade in their agricultural products.
"The Food for Progress Program is a cornerstone in USDA's efforts to support sustainable agricultural production in developing nations and promote agricultural trade," said Deputy Agriculture Secretary Krysta Harden, who signed the agreement with Honduran Secretary of Livestock and Agriculture, Jacobo Paz. "The Obama administration remains committed to investing in the creation of economic stability and opportunity in Central America. Today's agreement continues USDA's successful partnership with the Honduran government and the private sector under Food for Progress and the McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program. I am proud that our cooperative efforts are building a stronger agricultural sector, creating new opportunities and better lives for the people of Honduras."
The United States imported $572 million worth of agricultural products from Honduras in 2013. The major items imported were bananas, plantains, coffee and fresh fruit.
Honduras brought in $576 million worth of agricultural items from the USA in 2013. The major imported products were soybean meal, wheat, corn, pork and pork products.
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Soybeans are among the items being given to Honduras by the USA.