Ecobreves – HONDURAS: Incentives for Organic Farming

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

TEGUCIGALPA, Aug 24 2009 (IPS) - The Honduran Secretariat (ministry) of Agriculture and Livestock is using a new regulation to promote organic crops among some 60 non-governmental organizations that group 1,800 small and medium farmers. The regulation allows greater monitoring of crops free of agricultural chemicals.

“The better they know the requirements to produce and achieve certification for their products, the higher the price they can get in sales on the international market,” Orly García, deputy director of the National Agricultural Health Service, told Tierramérica.

There are currently 8,500 hectares under organic production in Honduras. The preferred crops are coffee, cashew apple (marañón), pineapple, cocoa and plantain.

Organic farming began in this Central American country in 1994. The government aims to create agro-food chain of production that involves all sectors.