Wholesale prices of white maize declined month-on-month in October 2024 across the subregion, due to increased availability from the ongoing main harvest. In Mexico, wholesale prices of white maize were mostly stable or moderately decreased across markets in October, due to the improved supply from the start of the main crop’s harvesting operations in October. The Xalapa (Veracruz) market was the only notable exception, where prices increased by 14 percent month‑on‑month. Prices were higher than the previous year in Mexico City and Xalapa (Veracruz), due to the reduced supply from the below‑average 2023 harvest. Prices declined for a second consecutive month in Guatemala, falling by about 5 percent month-on-month in October, reflecting downward pressure from the ongoing main season harvest, that started in September with a one‑month delay. In Guatemala, prices were about 14 percent lower than the previous year, due to above‑average supply from the 2023/24 outturn and higher year‑on‑year imports from the beginning of the year. In El Salvador and in the two major markets of Honduras, wholesale white maize prices moderately decreased for the second consecutive month, in line with seasonal trends, and were below their year-earlier levels on account of lower year-on-year international prices and higher year-to-date 2024 maize import volumes.

Wholesale prices of black and red beans mostly declined seasonally across the subregion in October 2024. In Mexico, wholesale prices of black beans decreased for the third consecutive month in Guadalajara (Zacatecas State) and Puebla (Veracruz State), due to ample supplies from the start of the main season harvest. Prices across the markets in Mexico were mostly higher than the previous year, along with the limited availability from 2023 production shortfalls. In Guatemala, wholesale prices of black beans declined for a second consecutive month in October, reflecting the downward pressure exerted by the improved supply conditions as harvests began in the main producing areas, and were close to October 2023 levels. In El Salvador, wholesale prices of red beans were nearly unchanged month-on-month in October, on account of adequate supplies from the Postrera harvest that was finalized in September. Similarly, wholesale prices decreased for the third consecutive month in Tegucigalpa market in Honduras, in line with seasonal downward pressure from the Primera harvest that was being finalized in October, while they decreased month-on-month in San Pedro Sula market in Honduras. Prices in Honduras and El Salvador were lower than one year earlier in October, following higher year-on-year imports from Nicaragua, the major source of red bean exports in the subregion. In Nicaragua, retail prices of red beans declined in August, after slight increases in the two preceding months, as the start of main Primera crop harvest increased market availabilities and were about 9 percent down from their previous year’s levels.

In Costa Rica, wholesale rice prices rose for the second consecutive month in October 2024, reflecting the below-average output from the 2024 Primera harvest that started in August. Rice prices were about 14 percent higher year-on-year, due to reduced supplies from the low 2023 output and the 25 percent year-on-year reduction of year-to-date 2024 rice import volumes, mostly because of production shortfalls in Uruguay, the main exporting partner. In the Dominican Republic, retail prices of rice (first quality) remained stable for the third consecutive month in October, reflecting adequate market availabilities from higher year-on-year imports from the United States of America, but were about 15 percent higher than the previous year due to the low 2023 output.

In Haiti, retail prices of domestically produced black beans and maize meal were mostly stable month-on-month across the markets in September 2024, reflecting improved seasonal availabilities in local markets. Prices were mostly higher compared to September 2023 levels, due to the lower year-on-year production following the abandonment of cropland in major producing areas, as a result of worsening insecurity conditions across the country. In most markets, retail prices of imported food items such as wheat flour, vegetable oil and rice, prices were nearly unchanged in September, due to the stability of the national currency against the United States dollar. Despite the disruptions to trade and marketing activities caused by the ongoing gang violence, in October import volumes of rice and vegetable oils were higher year-on-year, while wheat imports only decreased slightly.