Wholesale prices of white maize exhibited mixed trends across the subregion in February 2025. In Mexico, wholesale prices of white maize declined across markets in February, in line with the increased supply from the main season harvest, that was concluded at the end of the month. The Mexico City market was the only exception, with white maize prices increasing by about 9 percent month-on-month in February. In the Mexico City market, wholesale prices of white maize were about 25 percent higher year-on-year, reflecting the contraction of domestic output due to high production costs and prolonged dry conditions in key cropping areas. In Honduras, wholesale prices of white maize were stable or increased seasonally in February and were about 7 percent below the previous year’s levels, as ample stocks from two years of above‑average harvests in 2023 and 2024 increased market availabilities. In Guatemala, wholesale prices of white maize decreased for the fifth consecutive month in February and were about 17 percent down from their year‑earlier level, reflecting higher year-on‑year import volumes and the good maize outcome in 2024. Wholesale maize prices increased slightly in El Salvador in February, following the conclusion of the minor harvest, that reported crop losses due to high rainfall amounts at the end of 2024. Prices in El Salvador were about 13 percent lower year‑on‑year, due to ample market availabilities from large imports in the second half of 2024, about 17 percent higher than one year earlier.

Wholesale prices of red beans strengthened in Honduras for the third consecutive month in February 2025, reflecting limited supplies from the rain-stricken minor harvest and the lower year-on-year import volumes in the second half of 2024. Wholesale prices of red beans declined further in February in El Salvador, as supply was supported by above-average import volumes in 2024. Prices were nearly unchanged year-on-year, reflecting adequate market availability.

In Mexico, wholesale prices of black beans followed mixed trends month‑on-month in February 2025, despite adequate market availabilities from the main season harvest, that finalized in December 2024. Prices of imported and locally produced beans were lower year-on-year in most markets due to large imports in 2024, which were double the five-year average. In Guatemala the declining trend of prices of black beans continued for the sixth month in a row in February, on account of ample supplies from higher year-on-year imports and a good production in 2024.

Prices of rice were mostly stable or declined month-on-month in February 2025 in the subregion, following the end of the harvest in January. Retail prices of rice in the Dominican Republic were nearly unchanged month-on-month in February, reflecting adequate supplies from the minor season harvest, that concluded in January. Prices were about 9 percent above their previous year’s levels, in line with the low 2023 outturn. In Costa Rica, rice prices were generally stable in February, reflecting adequate availabilities from the main season harvest. Retail rice prices were about 5 percent up from their previous year’s levels, as production continued to contract after custom duties on imports were reduced in 2022.