In the first quarter of the year, Central American countries exported $90 million worth of frozen shrimp and langoustine, which is 76% more than in the same period in 2017, mainly due to sales to the US and Taiwan.
Figures from the information system on the Market for Frozen Shrimp and Langoustine in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
Starting June 2018 packaged products sold in the South American country must have a label warning about the high contents of sugars, sodium, saturated fats and calories.
Costa Rican entrepreneurs are concerned about the impact of the crisis in the neighboring country on food exports, which between 2015 and 2017 grew at an average annual rate of 4%.
According to figures from the Promotora del Comercio Exterior (Procomer), last year Costa Rica's food industry exports amounted to $1.618 billion, which is equivalent to an increase of 4.7% compared to the amount reported in 2016.
The market for fresh fruits and vegetables in this European country amounts to $25 billion, mostly in fruits, while processed vegetables amount to just over $4 billion.
From a report by Procomer Costa Rica entitled "Opportunities for marketing fresh and processed fruits and vegetables in Italy":
The fresh fruit and vegetable market in Italy is USD 25,071 mn, mostly fruit (68%), and the processed market is USD 4,272 mn in 2017.Both have opportunities to supply the food industry and, specifically the fresh ones, to enter the retail trade in the Italian off-season and with exotic products.
Sauces and preparations, flavorings for food, fruit preserves, animal feed and cleaning products are some of the goods where there are opportunities in the Finnish market.
From the study "General Mapping of Finland", prepared by Procomer Costa Rica:
Finland is the 13th economy of the European Union (GDP $251.176 mm, 2016, 5 times that of CR).It is recognized as the 3rd least corrupt state in the world, for its highly educated population (100% literacy) and also is highlighted in various indexes related to competitiveness, and innovation among other things.
Pharmaceutical products, plastic, food preparations, sugar and confectionery, and electrical cables are the main products that are sold to companies in the Dominican Republic.
Figures from the information system "Trade between Central America and the Dominican Republic", compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Clic to interact with the chart"]
As of December 1, import tariffs for consumer goods such as food, health supplements, shoes and clothing, among other things, will fall from 17% to an average of 7%.
The measure will take effect on December 1 and will affect 187 types of products, which include clothing, shoes, appliances, medicines or entertainment items, the ministry said in a statement on its website.
A free virtual seminar has been organized for November 30 on the procedures and requisites for exporting food products to the United States.
The free webinar organized by the Secretariat of Economic Integration (SIECA) is called "Exporting food products to the United States, who regulates it?"and will be held online on November 30, from 10 am to 11:30 am.
In 2016 sales of prepared and preserved fish from Central America totaled $110 million, and sales to the European country grew by 52% compared to 2015.
Figures from the information system on the Market for Prepared and Conserved Fishin Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with the graph"]
In 2016 countries in the region exported 41,208 tons of beef to the US, 7% more than in 2015.
Figures from the information system on the Fresh, Refrigerated and Frozen Beef Market in Central America, complied by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graph"]
While sales to other regions grew by around 15% between 2012 and 2017, exports to Central American countries show an increase of almost 30% compared to the same period.
Data from Procomer indicates that"...The value of sales by this industry to Central America rose by 28% when comparing the amount accumulated from January to July 2012 with the same period in 2017.Meanwhile, sales to all regions increased by 15%."
In 2016 exports of fresh and chilled vegetables from countries in the region amounted to $143 million, and sales to the US grew by 9% compared to 2015.
Figures from the information system on the Fresh or Chilled Vegetables Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with the graph"]
Hot drinks such as coffee and tea, chocolates, biscuits and fruit snacks, sauces and preparations, and processed fruits are foods with export potential to the Israeli market.
From a report by Procomer Costa Rica:
San José, August 31, 2017. Hot drinks such as coffee and tea, chocolates, biscuit and fruit snacks, sauces and preparations as well as processed fruits are the categories of foods that have potential for export to Israel.This is the conclusion of the study entitled "Opportunities for the commercialization of food in Israel", carried out by the Foreign Trade Promotion Office of Costa Rica (PROCOMER).
Between 2014 and 2016 Costa Rican exports to the South American country fell by 10%, while imports declined by nearly 6% in the same period.
Almost a year after the entry into force of the FTA, the high competitiveness of the Colombian market, mainly in the food and industrial sectors, is hampering growth of exports of Costa Rican goods.Sales from the South American country to Costa Rica have also declined, going from $326 million in 2012 to $292 million last year.
Between July 2016 and June 2017, exports of precision and medical equipment, rubber, agricultural products, and metallurgical products increased by 15%, 8%, 7% and 23%, respectively, compared to the previous 12 months.
The sectors that showed the most notable growth in exports (July 2016 - June 2017 vs. July 2015 - June 2016) were precision and medical equipment, with an increase of US $347 million (+ 14.7%); the agricultural sector, which has continued to improve its performance after unfavorable climatic events in previous periods and showed an increase of US $193 million (+ 7.6%); metalmechanics, which recorded increased sales, of US $72 million (+ 23.1%); the food industry, which sold US $41 million more (+ 4.4%); the electric and electronic sector, which increased by US $34 million (+ 6.4%); rubber which increased by US $19 million (+ 8.5%); and chemical-pharmaceuticals which sold US $15 million more (+ 2.4%).