Nicaragua: Oilseeds and Products Annual
Peanut production fell 14 percent in marketing year (MY) 2018/2019. The decrease in production was driven by an extended dry spell that negatively affected yields. Yields dropped 11 percent from 4.5 metric tons (MT) per hectare to 4 MT. The peanut industry expects planted area to remain unchanged in MY 2019/2020 but there are internal factors such as limited access to finance because of Nicaragua’s social political crisis that could significantly reduce planting intentions. Independent analysts estimate that production of many agricultural crops, including peanuts, could fall by up to 30 percent due to banks scaling back their loans to farmers.