Fintrac's Tabasco Production Program Helps Farmers Increase Yields and Improve Sales

Honduras (February 13, 2004) - With the help of technical assistance provided by agronomists from Fintrac's Agribusiness Development Center (CDA), the yields of Tabasco chili farmers in the Honduran departments of Cortes, Santa Barbara, Yoro, Comayagua, and Copan have increased from 1,000-7,000 lbs/hectare to over 35,000 lbs/hectare in less than one year. Quality Fintrac technicians have worked with 37 lead farmers of Tabasco chili, who have planted 40.5 hectares in the past year. While harvests are still ongoing, gross income is expected to total $450 thousand or $11,400/hectare. The success of the program has led Fintrac clients to schedule an additional 80 hectares for planting during 2004.

Fintrac's Tabasco chili program is built upon the success and technology developed under Fintrac's successful jalapeno production program. Fintrac standard good agricultural practices, including raised beds, sticky traps, live barriers, plantlet production, drip irrigation and fertigation, have been used on Tabasco client farms with excellent results. Andrew Medlicott, Fintrac's Latin American Director, commented that "the success of the Jalape-o production program opened the doors for starting the Tabasco program. This demonstrates again that implementation of the required production systems is the key to success and sustainability. Growers need to be able to change from crop to crop to maximize year-round production, to rotate and to visualize the farming operations as an entire unit and not as just one specific crop." However, unlike jalapeno, the Tabasco project can be downsized for small, yet technically proficient growers. Production costs can be as low as $2,500 for a 0.35-hectare program but production technology can be upgraded for larger growers with total costs of up to $28,000 for a farm of 2.5 hectares.

The Fintrac Tabasco program has created over 140 permanent jobs. The increase in grower operations has also had a positive impact on the input service and business development service sectors. New grower expenditures have benefited seed suppliers, plantlet producers, land preparation services, input suppliers, and irrigation companies. Fintrac has also helped local microprocessors with label design, product formulation, plant layout design, food safety guidelines, and distribution and marketing strategies. Fintrac is committed to increasing the production quality of Tabasco peppers in Honduras and to expanding the market opportunities and production areas for Tabasco producers in the upcoming year. Production area is expected to more than double in 2004.