Thirty-eight percent of the companies participating in the thirteenth edition of the regional event are led by women, while 46% are headed by entrepreneurs under the age of 40.
San José, 4 de August 2026 (IICA) – A record 701 companies, including suppliers and buyers from countries across Latin America and the Caribbean, participated in the thirteenth edition of the Virtual Agrifood Business Matchmaking Round, generating business opportunities valued at USD 25.5 million.
The thirteenth edition of the virtual business round was organized through the close collaboration of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA), which have jointly organized the initiative since 2020 to strengthen the region’s agrifood sector.
This edition featured strong participation from companies in Central America and other Latin American countries, including Argentina, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru. It also reflected the continued increase in the participation of women-led businesses, which accounted for 38% of participating companies, and companies led by entrepreneurs under the age of 40, representing 46% of the total.
Fruits and vegetables were the products most frequently offered and sought during the business round, followed by coffee and cocoa. Other products covered a wide range of categories, with food preparations and healthy snacks standing out. Services related to international trade, such as transportation and logistics, as well as services supporting compliance with quality and food safety standards, were also featured prominently. Participating companies also expanded their business networks, forged new partnerships, and identified opportunities to diversify their markets.
Across the thirteen editions held to date, the Virtual Business Matchmaking Rounds have brought together 7,385 supplier companies from countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. According to participant surveys, the events have generated business opportunities totaling USD 309.7 million.
Edith Flores de Molina, Director of the Center for Studies on Economic Integration (CEIE) at SIECA, said: “The results achieved through the thirteen business rounds held to date demonstrate that this type of event promotes regional trade within a framework of inclusion and competitiveness. They also enable companies to strengthen commercial ties beyond national borders, expanding their business networks and opening new market opportunities. Equally important, the Business Matchmaking Rounds have strengthened partnerships with strategic partners such as FAO and IICA to develop initiatives that support the marketing of agricultural products in our countries, thereby contributing to the well-being of producers and their families.”
Daniel Rodríguez, from IICA’s Directorate of Technical Cooperation, said that “the sustained growth in the number of participating companies and countries, the increase in business opportunities, and the expanding range of products and services offered demonstrate that the virtual business matchmaking rounds have become one of the region’s leading platforms for creating commercial opportunities, diversifying markets, and strengthening ties among producers, agribusinesses, service providers, and buyers across Latin America and the Caribbean.”
Pablo Rabczuk, FAO Senior Programme Officer, highlighted the potential of intraregional agrifood trade and the strong participation of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, which accounted for 68% of participants in this edition. “Tools such as virtual business matchmaking rounds are essential to encourage companies across the region to invest in regional markets. At a time of heightened global volatility, there is significant room for growth within the region, and this opportunity should be seized.”
More information:
Institutional Communication Division.
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int
