Since December 2020, exporters and importers of plant products will be able to process certifications digitally with the Costa Rican authorities.
The digitalization process modernizes the way of trade, makes it faster and more reliable and eliminates the use of paper, simplifying procedures, reducing time and costs, explains a statement from the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE).
In markets such as North America and Western Europe, a consumer segment wants the grain to meet aspects such as ethical and sustainable sourcing, and its production process to be certified.
According to the study "Trends and Opportunities for value-added coffee exports" conducted by the Differentiated Coffees Committee of AGEXPORT, reveals how to change the strategies for marketing good quality coffee with higher value added (roasted), for the next coffee harvest of 2,019 - 2,020 and those to come.
Companies exporting conventional pineapples labeled as organic to the United States have been denounced.
Companies who want to keep selling organic pineapples in Costa Rica's main market for agricultural exports say the act of sending conventional fruit labeled as "organic" threatens "... the prestige of Costa Rica in that nation."A group of member companies of the National Chamber of Organic Agriculture (Canagro) has filed a complaint against a pineapple company in San Carlos.
The new version is optionally immediately applicable together with the current Version 4 and will be mandatory for all new and rectified audits from July 1, 2016.
From a statement issued by the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Office :
The GLOBALG.AP Board recently announced the introduction of an update to version 5 of its food safety standard Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) for crops and aquaculture.
The country will present itself before the WTO to establish that the import of avocados will be subject to certification showing its precedence from zones free of Sun-Bloch.
The request will be made by Costa Rica through the World Trade Organization (WTO), whose Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures meets this week. As part of that committee, Mexico and Guatemala had announced that they would initiate a mechanism of "commercial concern " over the restrictions imposed on entry of the fruit into Costa Rica.
With the Global GAP certification that they hope to obtain this year, with 12,000 hectares of crops Mexico projects that it will increase its fruit exports to the US market.
From a press release issued by the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Office (Procomer) :
Mexico to increase mango exports
54% of the 135,000 tonnes of mango estimated to be produced in 2015 in Michoacán (about 73,000 tons) will be for export.
A Dutch study presents the expectations of importers of flowers and foliage in terms of sustainability, certification, required standards and other practices.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands has conducted a study detailing the expectations of consumers and importers of flowers and foliage in European countries, consumer preferences, procedures and techniques used in the production and transfer of flowers, labeling, relevance of certification of products, and definition of sustainability, among other things.
Products entering the South Korean market must apply for certification from the Health Authority of that country.
From the 1st of January the Asian nation has required that imported organic products have a certificate, which must be requested from the Sanitary Authority of Korea (QIA) .
From an article by the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER) :
Ten companies producing chickens, eggs and dairy products have received authorizations valid for three years to export to Honduras.
From a press release of the Ministry of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica:
After a series of efforts by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and the National Animal Health Service, Honduran authorities have authorized for three years a dozen Costa Rican plants producing fertile eggs, one day old chicks, frozen chicken and dairy products for export to the market.
NSF International, a food security training and certification company, will open in Costa Rica on April 15.
Its offices will be located in San José, the capital city. From there, NSF Costa Rica will assist companies in complying with new global requirements in food safety standards, regulations and sustainability issues.
“We hope to expand our services in this area to fresh fruit and vegetables, organic production, seafood, industrialized food, distribution networks and retail”, said Tom Chestnut, Food Safety & Quality vice president at NSF International.