ESTRATEGIAS DE MERCADO PARA EL FRIJOL CENTROAMERICANO 1

Market strategies for Central American dry beans. In the past few years, the dry bean sub-sector in Central America has witnessed many dynamic changes. Unless we find ways to increase the competitiveness of the regional bean sub-sector, Central American countries will likely experience significant negative social and economic impacts, especially since these countries are facing the challenge of adjusting to new open markets, such as the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). Bean traders, retailers, and knowledgeable government official in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua were interviewed to document these changes, identify constraints that threaten the viability of the sub-sector, and assess future opportunities for increasing bean market shares. The results indicate that to remain competitive in the future, Central American countries must increase productivity by continuing to support dry bean research (i.e., develop improved varieties with characteristics that consumers prefer such as grain color); strengthen programs for distributing improved varieties to producers; provide producers with better market information; develop stronger linkages between producers, packers, wholesalers, and supermarkets; and aggressively target the U.S. export market.