Asfura orders prioritizing payment of $1.85 million that the IHMA owes to bean producers in Honduras

The Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock, Moisés Molina, confirmed that the Government is seeking to expedite the disbursement of the funds owed. (Photo: Proceso Digital) The president of Honduras, Nasry Asfura, ordered prioritizing the payment of approximately US$1.85 million that the Honduran Institute of Agricultural Marketing (IHMA) owes to bean producers who delivered their harvests to the institution, confirmed the head of the Secretariat of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG), Moisés Molina. The official acknowledged that the debt remains outstanding and explained that budgetary limitations affected the fulfillment of various government obligations, after resources were allocated to address the effects of the drought. The payment commitment stands, and the authorities expect to deliver the money to the farmers soon. Molina also reported that the IHMA board of directors is working on modifications to improve the functioning of the institution, especially in the mechanisms for marketing staple grains and the rotation of inventories. The head of the SAG explained that the debt has remained since the departure of the institute's previous head and noted that the limited availability of funds affected the fulfillment of several government responsibilities. Moisés Molina stated that the SAG monitors the availability of beans to cover Honduran consumption (Photo: Agrodiario) According to Molina, President Asfura's instruction is to give priority to this payment, so that producers receive the money for the grain they delivered. However, the official did not specify an exact date for completing the disbursement. Fulfilling this obligation is important for farmers who depend on income from their harvests and need to recover the money corresponding to the deliveries made to the State. In addition to the pending payment, the authorities are analyzing changes to facilitate the IHMA's commercial operations. Molina explained that the legal restrictions on selling beans to institutions other than Banasupro make it difficult to move inventories and limit marketing options. The board of directors is working on alternatives that would allow the institution to operate more efficiently and improve the rotation of stored products. The intention is to facilitate sales to other entities, although the minister did not detail what legal or administrative changes would be applied or when they would take effect. Nasry Asfura, president of Honduras, ordered prioritizing the payment of approximately US$1.85 million that the Honduran Institute of Agricultural Marketing has pending with producers who delivered beans to the institution. (Photo: Proceso Digital) The IHMA performs functions related to agricultural marketing, so its decisions on the purchase and sale of staple grains have an impact on the relationship with producers and on the supply of the Honduran market. Molina stated that the SAG maintains surveillance over the availability of beans to cover national consumption and warned that, if Honduran production proves insufficient, the country will resort to imports. "We are on alert because if at any point we fail to have the production needed to supply consumption, we will bring it in from wherever necessary," the secretary declared. The official did not announce an immediate import nor specify quantities or countries of origin. His statement raises the possibility of resorting to the international market if national production is not enough to meet demand. The board of directors of the Honduran Institute of Agricultural Marketing is working on changes to streamline the entity's operations and improve the marketing mechanisms for staple grains. (Photo: Agrodiario) The decision would depend on supply needs and product availability. For now, the minister indicated that the authorities remain attentive to production capacity to guarantee the supply of the grain. During his remarks, Molina also addressed reports of a possible agreement to increase the price of eggs between November and January. The secretary asserted that the SAG is not participating in those negotiations and said he was unaware whether there is a conversation between poultry farmers and the Secretariat of Economic Development. Molina explained that egg prices can fluctuate due to factors related to supply and demand. Among them, he mentioned increased consumption and reduced daylight hours, a condition that can temporarily decrease hens' egg-laying. However, the official did not confirm that an official agreement exists to raise prices during those months, nor did he announce specific measures regarding market behavior.