Honduras' private sector backs soy-and-biodiesel plan, seeks Brazilian investment

Summary

Honduras' private business council COHEP, led by Anabel Gallardo, publicly backed the government's plan to develop soy cultivation and biodiesel production with Brazilian company Be8, whose CEO Erasmo Carlos Battistella met President Nasry Asfura this week. The plan envisions a first expandable soy-and-biodiesel processing plant, up to 200,000 hectares of soy cultivation and around 100,000 permanent rural jobs — all targets conditional on project execution. The private sector helped draft Honduras' Ley de Biocombustibles, whose reform is expected to lower investment barriers. Stated goals: diversify agriculture, cut dependence on imported soy derivatives and fuels, and broaden the energy mix. The project remains at the exploration/planning stage; no investment is closed.