Thursday, March 14, 2013

Industry of Honduras


Manufacturing, which accounted for about one-fifth of the GDP in the early 21st century, is dominated by small-scale firms that operate with intermediate levels of technology and possess limited processing capabilities. Dozens of foreign-owned maquiladoras (duty-free manufacturing plants) were opened in the late 20th century, and by 1997 they employed as many as 75,000 workers, mostly women. The major products manufactured and processed are food products, beverages, textiles, clothing, chemicals, lumber, and paper products. The production of capital and heavy intermediate goods is minimal. Industrial plants are located largely in the urban areas of San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa.
Mineral resources are limited but include silver, gold, lead, zinc, antimony, iron, mercury, and copper. From the 19th to the mid-20th century, the economy was largely dependent upon the production of silver and gold, particularly from El Mochito mine, which was the largest in Central America. Mining accounts for a tiny percent of the GDP, with zinc the leading mineral export


Sh          Honduras’ industrial segment comprises limited small-scale firms with intermediate level of technology and limited processing skills. The major Honduras industries include sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing and wood products. Honduras industrial segment employs nearly 20% of the country’s population and contributes 28% to the GDP. Although the country has rich forest reserves and deposits of silver, lead, zinc, iron, gold, antimony and copper, inadequate infrastructure has hampered its exploitation and growth of the mining industry.




An employee of the CAPROCAFIM cooperative in Honduras arranges cocoa seedlings. With support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, TechnoServe and our partners have revitalized the cocoa industry in Honduras, creating a new source of income for farmers like the 60 members of CAPROCAFIM