Privacy Policy:  Contact us:  Español:

New Opportunities for Cattle Ranchers

Cusile, Nicaragua— The Rio Lama cattle ranch, located 110 miles Northeast of Managua, in this community of rolling hills covered with green pastures, recently had the birth of its first “organic” calves. The farm is one of 43 Nicaraguan cattle ranches with pastures that have been certified as organic by the International Agriculture and Cattle Organization (OIA). Beginning last July, the calves born to cows that have grazed on the organic grasses will be eligible to be certified as organic beef.

The farm is owned by Daniel Nunez, the president of the National Cattle Raising Commission of Nicaragua (CONAGAN) and one of the pioneers in promoting organic meat as an excellent market opportunity for Nicaraguan cattle ranchers—an opportunity that he feels will be enhanced with the U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).

“CAFTA offers extraordinary opportunities. It’s time for us to take advantage of the quality of natural beef that we already produce and gain new markets,” said Nunez.

The demand for organic meat worldwide could generate up to $5 billion annually. The demand for organic meat is growing by 20 percent a year, as more consumers prefer the quality and reduced fat content of meat from cattle fed only natural grasses and grains, free of pesticides and synthetic hormonal additives. In the U.S, revenue from sales of organic meat between 1997 and 2003 increased 162 percent.

Nicaragua is in an advantageous position to enter this market with its 1,000,000 hectares of pastureland that in many cases is already pesticide free.

In an effort to promote the production and export of organic meat, CONAGAN, the Cooperative League of the United States of America (CLUSA), and the Interamerican Institute of Cooperation for Agriculture (IICA) recently signed a collaborative agreement to strengthen the Nicaraguan government’s initiative, through the Ministry of Agriculture (MAGFOR), the Rural Development Institute (IDR), and the Secretariat of the Presidency (SECEP), for the production of organic meat.

To help the cattle ranchers improve quality and the ability to compete for world markets, USAID is financing, through IICA, a marketing program and technical assistance for organic meat production and exportation.

Since the program began, nearly 14,000 hectares of pastureland and 8,000 heads of cattle have been certified as organic. Links with buyers in the U.S., who have been highly impressed with the quality of Nicaraguan beef, have been established and representatives of Nicaragua’s cattle industry and the Ministry of Agriculture will travel to the U.S. in November to further explore market possibilities.

Said Nunez: “I know there are producers who feel unprotected by CAFTA. But my attitude is, let’s get out there and look for ways to compete. Other countries are envious of the soil and water resources we have. Maybe CAFTA is what we need to finally force us to modernize the way we do things.”