Jalapeños are sampled before harvest on Marvin Ardón’s farm..

LA LIMA, Honduras — With the aim of increasing incomes and job opportunities, Fintrac is helping farmers diversify and incorporate high-value products such as jalapeños into their production systems.

Farmers Ángel Quijada and Marvin Ardón from El Paraíso, are two farmers who found success with Fintrac’s strategy. The farmers started using Fintrac methods such as good agricultural practices, fertigation, raised beds, and integrated pest management.

With these techniques, Quijada and Ardón had strong yields of “Mitla” jalapeños. Yields reached 433,300 pounds of export-quality jalapeños on two hectares. At about 216,000 pounds per hectare, yields were 141 percent higher than the department’s average. At the national level, several Fintrac clients have had similar successes and have surpassed the 200,000-pound mark.

The jalapeños were sold in Honduras and El Salvador, generating $74,500 in gross sales. Production costs were $45,000, roughly $0.10 per pound — 33 percent lower than the zone’s average of $0.15 per pound. With lower production costs, the two farmers earned $14,750 per hectare.

Fintrac is working with these farmers as part of the three-year USAID-RED program, which is designed to significantly increase rural incomes and employment opportunities throughout Honduras. The program focuses on expanded production and sales of high-value and added-value agricultural products. It is providing support to 742 lead clients and more than 10,000 beneficiaries. By July 2008, the program expects to generate $30 million in new sales by lead clients alone.

“These yields are excellent. This new experience has generated more interest among the neighboring producers in learning about and implementing good management practices and the recommendations made by USAID-RED.” — Honduran farmer Antonio Quijada