Import duties on rice rose from 30 per cent to 45 per cent, and duties on corn and sorghum rose from 15 to 30 per cent, the ministry said in a decree."The drop in international prices for agricultural products has caused serious damage to the national production of basic grains, considered important to the national economy," the ministry said. An estimated 12,000 Nicaraguan rice farmers produce 4 million 46-kg bags of rice annually. With an annual demand of 5 million bags of rice, Nicaragua imports about 1 million bags a year.

National sorghum production is 1.2 million bags, with a demand for 2 million bags annually. The demand for yellow corn is 40 million tonnes, all of which is imported, according to ministry data. Yellow corn and sorghum are used mainly in agriculture.