The Costa Rican pineapple sector wants to consolidate the presence it has gained in major international markets.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
It is negotiating with the Foreign Trade Promotion Office the terms needed to create a brand for the country in the next few months, which they hope will help maintain the explosive volume that has been exported.
"In just a decade, exports increased from $158 million in 2002, to reach a peak of $789 million in 2012, an increase of 400% making this fruit the number agricultural shipment above bananas and coffee," reported Elfinancierocr.com.
According to Abel Chaves former chairman of the board of the National Chamber of Pineapple Producers and Exporters (Canapep), the sector is reaching its maximum cultivation area at the hands of 1,250 producers, of which 2.8% are big businesses. The task now is to maintain this area of pineapple cultivation so that there is not a fall in the exports currently going to the European Union (52%) and the U.S. (48%).
At the beginning of 2019 there were 44,500 hectares dedicated to fruit cultivation in Costa Rica, however, because of high production costs and a drop in international prices, by 2021 the cultivated area could fall to 38,000 hectares.
Directors of the National Chamber of Pineapple Producers and Exporters (Canapep) explained that the fall in the price of pineapple internationally is because of increased competition, since countries such as Colombia, Ecuador and Panama, have managed to gain market share in the U.S. and Europe.
Low international prices, overproduction and greater competition from markets such as the Philippines, is worrying Costa Rican pineapple exporters.
On top of those factors is also the fact that exports to China have not grown as much as expected, due to complications faced in getting the product there in perfect condition.According to the exporters themselves, this difficulty"... is taking Costa Rica out of the market, as it takes between 28 and 30 days to arrive and it is estimated that a maximum of 20 days is required to maintain the quality intact."
Traditional pineapple growing regions have become saturated by rapid crop expansion.
Costa Rica currently has 40,000 net hectares used for growing pineapple, located in the north and Atlantic regions of the country.
Abel Chaves, president of the Costa Rican Pineapple Growers and Exporters Association (Canapep), indicated that it is unlikely that the sector will continue to grow at the same rate it has managed until now, suggesting that production may already have reached its peak.
The sector expects to increase exports in 2010, and for this they have planted 45.000 hectares.
Canapep, the National Chamber of Pineapple Growers and Exporters, is betting on increased demand from the U.S. west coast and new markets like Turkey and Iraq.
"According to Canapep forecasts, this combination of factors, plus good sales to Europe, will make the sector grow in 2010", reported Nacion.com.
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