Preliminary figures from the government agency CETREX indicate that export earnings increased over the first six months of this year by almost 20%. Hard currency equivalent to $742 million came into the country from January to June, compared to $628.3 million for the same period last year.

Agriculture led the increase. Despite a decline in coffee earnings (from 155 to 126 million dollars), beef exports rose from 79 to 105 million and cheese accounted for $52 million, compared to $33 million.

The trend overall for the 2007-2008 agricultural cycle is upwards, even for coffee. Growers are expecting an all-time record high in production due to favorable weather this year. Other sectors of the export economy are being hit by the electricity crisis, but this has less of an impact on farming, except for crops requiring irrigation.