Ecobreves – HONDURAS: Farming Stands Up to El Niño

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

TEGUCIGALPA, Nov 30 2009 (IPS) - Food security is guaranteed for Honduras next year because the cyclical weather phenomenon known as El Niño did not hurt the production of basic grains, official and private sources told Tierramérica. The yield for beans was 1.7 million sacks, maize reached 22 million quintales (about one billion kilos), and rice totaled 800,000 sacks, which ensures coverage for domestic consumption and exports over the next 10 months, said Agriculture Secretary Héctor Hernández.

Santiago Ruiz, president of the National Federation of Farmers and Ranchers, said the higher elevated regions of the country were not affected by drought, “the rain was moderate” and, despite El Niño, “this year has been excellent for harvests.”

El Niño occurs when the surface temperatures of the Pacific Ocean rise, affecting much of Latin America, and often bringing drought or floods to Honduras.