A. M. 
The Finance Committee of the Legislative Assembly issued a favorable opinion to amend the 2026 Budget Law and allocate US$1,489,580 to Consejo Salvadoreño de la Agroindustria Azucarera (CONSAA). These funds come from the contribution paid by sugarcane producers and mills for each pound of sugar extracted.
Michelle Arce, Deputy director general of the Budget at the Ministry of Finance, explained that these resources will be integrated into the Ministry of Economy’s budget and will strengthen the financing of CONSAA’s operations. CONSAA is a state entity attached to the Ministry of Economy with administrative autonomy and its own assets. Of the total to be transferred, US$282,929 corresponds to the council’s special budget, while the remainder supplements the institution’s financial needs during the current fiscal year.
Where do the funds come from?
The Law on Production, Industrialization, and Marketing of the Sugar Agroindustry establishes that CONSAA’s annual budget is financed through a mandatory contribution from sugarcane producers and sugar mills, calculated per pound of sugar produced.
In october 2025, the full legislature set the contribution at $0.000891 per pound of sugar, equivalent to US$0.001963 per kilogram. Based on an estimate of 1,354,265,993 pounds of sugar extracted during the 2025–2026 harvest, the sector’s contributions are projected to total US$1,206,651.
Strengthening financing for the sugar sector
With the budget amendment, CONSAA would receive a total of US$1.48 million from the General Fund, supplementing the resources collected through direct contributions from the sector. These funds are earmarked to cover operating expenses, investments, and programs related to the development and regulation of the sugar industry.
Impact on the Industry
The allocation of these resources aims to strengthen CONSAA’s institutional capacity to supervise, promote, and regulate the sector, considered one of the pillars of El Salvador’s agribusiness. This budgetary support would also contribute to improved planning, technical assistance, and coordination between producers and sugar mills.
If the full legislature ratifies the reform to the 2026 Budget Law, CONSAA will receive key financial support to address the sector’s needs during the current production cycle.
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