An article in Elfinancierocr.com reports that "Diego Gil, vice president of the Chamber and exporter of ornamental plants, believes that for a sector full of micro and small businesses, it is unsustainable for most of them not to be able to include the 13% tax on sales of their products because it is unclear if they are exonerated, but they have to pay their suppliers of raw materials."

The sector has not yet emerged from the crisis of 2008, whose effects were exacerbated by the appreciation of the local currency, the colon, compared to the U.S. dollar. "In only three years, the three largest companies left the country because of the rise in costs, driven by the valuation of the colon."

Although the U.S. government now allows entry to the country of ornamental plants over 18 inches, Costa Rican producers have failed to seize this opportunity, because of lack of resources. Moreover, although the opening of the U.S. market for larger plants can be profitable, "this measure follows health checks that have been made more stringent for these and other plants."

Source: elfinancierocr.com