According to press reports, Guatemalan finance minister Eduardo Weymann told the country's producers that diversification into other sectors of agriculture is the only alternative if they are to lift themselves out of serious crisis.

Speaking on November 10, he said that falling coffee prices and a bleak future for the coffee market will see the country's biggest export earner face tougher times still.

'Vietnam and Brazil, producers of low quality coffee will practically flood the market in two years and so we will be condemned to a depressed coffee market,' he was reported. ' So the sector needs to make changes to non-traditional agricultural products such as flowers, vegetables and fruit.' At the same time, the country needs to concentrate on opening up access to new markets and become more competitive.

Guatemala is already one of Latin America's largest exporters of fresh blackberries and raspberries. Other important lines are melons and mangoes and the country has been successful in establishing a niche for itself as an exporter of speciality vegetables such as snowpeas. There have also been important gains for okra and in cut-flower production of roses and carnations.

Bananas are a vital traditional export but have suffered from hurricane and rainfall damage in recent seasons. Growers are looking at high yield production methods and expanding plantations onto the country's Pacific coast.

The main export market is the US with countries in Europe such as the UK increasing their share.

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