Mexico City, July 16 - Coffee producers in Honduras said 2008/09 exports have not yet been affected by unrest after a coup toppled the president, but blockades by protesters could complicate the delivery of fertilizers to farms preparing for the upcoming harvest.
Hundreds of demonstrators supporting President Manuel Zelaya, who was taken from his home by soldiers on June 28, blockaded some highways on Thursday demanding his return.
But coffee is not moving on the country's roads at the moment since Honduras -- Central America's second largest coffee producer -- has finished its harvest and the bulk of the 3.22 million 60-kg bags of exports this season have already been shipped, the president of the national coffee institute, or Ihcafe, said on Thursday.
Only about 400,000 60-kg bags of coffee for export are left in warehouses ready to be sent to buyers, Ihcafe's Asterio Reyes said.
"The harvest has gone as planned. Before and after the coup there has been no change," Reyes told Reuters.
After Zelaya's ouster, Congress quickly swore in a new government that has been widely condemned internationally, raising the specter of economic sanctions that could potentially damaging the poor country.
Since the coup, the sporadic road blockades by Zelaya supporters have complicated the delivery of fertilizers to farms preparing for the 2009/10 harvest, which begins in October.
"At the blockades the fertilizers headed to coffee growing areas are held up, and because of this we have had some inconveniences, but they are temporary," Reyes said.
The interim government has imposed a nighttime curfew since the coup but the measure has not affected coffee exports at ports since coffee is delivered during the day, Reyes said.