Sales of certified organic food and beverages tripled between 2006 and 2012, reaching sales of more than $3 million.
From an article by the Costa Rican Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER):
The organic market in Canada reached a value of $3.674 billion, according to the Organic Trade Association country (OTA), as domestic sales of certified organic food and nonalcoholic beverages managed to triple sales between 2006 and 2012.
Costa Rica and Canada have recognized the equivalence of regulations governing the accreditation and certification of organic agricultural products in both countries.
This agreement "... allows free passage for Costa Rican exporters, dedicated to this subsector, to export to the U.S. market," noted an article in Elfinancierocr.com.
Rice, bananas, banana purée, cocoa, coffee, sugarcane, blackberries, oranges, noni, pineapples, aloe, legumes, vegetables, fruits and spices are some of the organic products that can enter the Canadian market.
Leaf accelerators, lemon oil, and mixtures of juices from various plants, are being used successfully against the fungus Hemileia vastatrix.
Regional coffee producers have announced that they have found organic remedies to combat rust.
Mario René Velásquez, a medium sized producer from Amatitlán and owner of five thousand coffee plantations, in search of a solution to the problem, decided to try calcium sulfo (a mixture of lime, water and sulfur boiled to produce a brick red liquid), which he had used in the treatment of fungus in fruit trees.
In the U.S. organic products make up only 4% of the food market, but when talking about baby food, organic products account for 21% of this market sector.
A statement from the Costa Rican Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER) reads:
Sales of organic food for children with high participation in U.S.
Sales of organic products in the U.S. account for only 4% of total food sales in the country, however, organic baby food represents 21% in this category, according to the online magazine Daily News.
The Costa Rican Trade Promotion Office has announced opportunities in the Chilean market.
A statement from the Costa Rican Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER):
There is an opportunity to supply organic bananas and pineapples to a Chilean supermarket chain, for a period of one year with a possible extension of the contract.
For more details contact Alexander Roman, promoter of agriculture, whose email address is aroman@procomer.com
A survey entitled The Packer's Fresh Trends 2012 has revealed an increase in the consumption of fresh fruits mainly in people between 21 and 39 years old and in those over 59 years old.
A press release from Procomer states:
The survey, The Packer's Fresh Trends 2012, reveals an increase in the consumption of fresh fruits mainly in people between 21 and 39 years old and in those over 59 years old, whose preferences are those known as "super fruits" (these generate a direct benefit to the health of consumers), because of their nutritional content.
Suppliers of organic products reported a rise in sales and improved market conditions.
A statement from the Costa Rican Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER) reads:
Sales of organic products in Europe Recover
According to Organic Monitor many suppliers of organic products have reported a rise in sales and improved market conditions, however, this situation is not shared by all European countries.
The International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM in Spanish) has issued new rules to replace those previously established in 2005.
A statement from the Costa Rican Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER) reads:
The IFOAM has published new rules to replace those previously established in 2005 and these have been approved by electronic vote of the members of the federation, a process which ended on August 5.
The country has begun to increase the application of a regulation, which states that imported organic products must be certified by Chinese standards.
From a press release by Procomer:
According to the Department of Agriculture of the United States, many exporters of fresh produce to China will soon have to remove the word "organic" from labels on their food, because some officials in the Asian country have begun to increase the application of a regulation , which states that imported organic products must be certified by Chinese standards.
The French market for organic products grew by 10% in 2011, despite the crisis.
From a press release by Procomer:
Despite the crisis the consumption of organic products in France has increased.
In ten years, the French "bio" market, despite the crisis, has maintained the interest of consumers. The market has grown ten percentage points in 2011 to reach a turnover of around 4 billion euros, while French household consumption has declined by 0.5% on average for 2011, partly due to decreased spending on food, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies in France.
As of July 1 it will be mandatory to use a logo for organic foods in the European Union (EU) for all pre-packaged foods.
A statement from the Costa Rican Trade Office reads:
The European Union has declared the mandatory use of logos for organic food
From July 1 use of a logo for organic foods in the European Union (EU) will be mandatory for all prepackaged food products produced in EU member countries.
The United States and the European Union are to accept as valid certification of organic products issued in any of its territories.
From June 1st, 2012, certified organic products in Europe or the U.S. may be sold as such in the other's territory. The agreement announced by the European Commission assumes that a there is a solid foundation for promoting organic agriculture, as the EU and the U.S.
The growing consumer appetite for small portions of food eaten between main meals is now following the global trend towards the "natural".
In the expanding market of natural snacks, there are companies of every size. From small to large, all are growing and show annual sales increases of up to 30%.
In an article on Elfinancierocr.com, Cesar Quiros Brenes analyzes the characteristics of this sector in Costa Rica, where increased domestic production is joined by a growth in imports.