Browse Data and Analysis

In MY 2023/24, Guatemala ranked as the world’s second most efficient sugarcane producer and fourth in overall sugar production efficiency. For MY 2025/26, production is forecast to remain steady, with planted and harvested areas unchanged from the previous two years, and growth expected in MY 2026/27.

Rice production in Guatemala is slowly declining due to limited access to improved seed varieties and an insufficient domestic supply of locally developed seeds.

Sugar production and exports in Honduras are expected to increase in MY 2025/26, driven by higher yields, expanded harvest areas, and greater investment.

The food and beverage processing industry in Guatemala includes around 2,200 companies and plays a crucial role in the country's economy, contributing to employment, exports, and domestic food security.

Sugar production and exports are projected slightly up in marketing year (MY) 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025) because of the increase in productivity yields, harvested area, and additional investments made in the sugar sector and increased exports.

In 2023, Guatemala ranked as the 16th largest U.S. agricultural export market, despite a nine percent decline in total exports, largely driven by reduced imports of bulk commodities. U.S. agricultural exports to Guatemala reached $1.6 billion. As the...

In 2023, the United States held a 29.1 percent share of the consumer-oriented food and beverage market in Honduras, a slight decrease of 1.3 percent from 2022.

U.S. agricultural exporters of consumer-oriented products are well-positioned to increase sales to Guatemala. In 2023, U.S. consumer-oriented export values reached a third-consecutive record on 15 percent growth from the previous year (Figure 3).

The Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Food (MAGA) regulates Guatemala's genetically engineered (GE) plants and animals.

Honduras has made no modifications to its existing regulatory framework regarding genetically engineered (GE) crops. As of October 2024, planted area of GE corn in Honduras has increased by 29 percent from the previous year, rising from 52,000 to 67,000 hectares. In 2024, the National Committee on Biotechnology and Biosecurity approved six events.

The National Plant, Animal Health and Food Safety Service (SENASA) is the regulatory agency in Honduras that is responsible for the inspection of all agricultural products that enter the country.

SENASA and ARSA have made significant progress in expediting import procedures with the introduction of online options for requesting import permits and sanitary authorizations of imported raw materials that provide immediate electronic delivery to ports of entry.