The United States has developed a local production of ornamentals and flowers, valued at $13.6 billion, which is complemented by imports that in 2016 totaled $2 billion.
From the executive summary of the report entitled "Market for plants, flowers and foliage in the USA", by Procomer Costa Rica:
The United States has developed a local production of ornamentals and flowers, valued at $13.6 billion USD (CAGR -1%), and is complemented by imports which totaled 2.008 billion in 2016. The majority corresponds to flowers (69%), followed by plants (24%) and foliage (7%).
The European Union still has doubts over the presence of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa in plants of the Phoenix variety and has rejected the request to allow their re-entry from Costa Rica.
In a meeting in which producers and exporters of ornamentals did not participate, the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) put forward the"...
Exporters of ornamental plants are waiting for government approval in order to be part of the delegation which will request the reopening of the European market, which has been closed since May 2015.
The Chamber of Producers and Exporters of Plant Products (Caprodex) argues that the request was made on July 8 to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) and there has not yet been a response to the request to attend on September 22 the meeting to be held in Brussels to demand the reopening of the market for ornamental plants from Costa Rica.In May2015the European Union banned ornamental coffee plants from Costa Rica and Hondurasin order to prevent the entry of the bacteria Xylella fastidiosa.
Medicines, tires, foliage, some plastics, frozen bread and cookies are some of the goods that will be duty free starting from August 1st.
On August 1 the trade agreement between Colombia and Costa Rica come into effect. The agreement states that 75% of industrial goods will become duty-free immediately, and the other products within 5 to 15 years.
Opportunities in the Arab country have been announced for chutneys, organic coffee, pastries, organic tuna, dried fruits, plants, flowers and foliage.
The Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER) has opened a trade promotion office in Qatar. Alvaro Stone, director of Exports at the office, informed Nacion.com that an official has been based in the premises of the Embassy of Costa Rica in that country since late last year.
In the last five years imports of cut flowers fell from $850 million to $670 million, while ornamentals increased from $630 million to over $1 billion in the same period.
From a statement issued by the Foreign Trade Promotion Office:
Imports of fresh flowers are becoming fewer and more florists are closing in the United States, leading to more dynamism in the segment of ornamental plants.
The phytosanitary measures implemented by the European Union have been in force since May and aim to prevent the entry of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa.
The rule applies to ornamental coffee plants (not seeds) of the coffee variety and applies to the 28 countries comprising the European Union. The Chamber of Plants, Flowers and Foliage in Costa Rica clarified that the prohibition does not apply to foliage, which can still be exported.
In Costa Rica the number of registered firms exporting ferns and foliage fell from 78 to 48 between 2008 and 2013 while exports fell by 46%.
The international crisis that began in late 2008 significantly affected the export sector of foliage and ferns in Costa Rica, which to date has not been recovered the levels prior to the onslaught of the crisis =.
Costs will increase for exporters because of attempts to prevent their containers of fruits, tubers and ornamental plants exported to Europe from being used to transport drugs.
In Europe seizures of drugs hidden in Costa Rican agricultural exports have concerned the agro-export sector, which is demanding greater security controls and processes in shipping goods overseas, both for the measures carried out in the country as well as those carried out once borders have been crossed, explained industry representatives.
Foreign sales have been negatively affected by a loss of competitiveness with other exporting countries.
In 2013 flower exports fell by 5.4% compared to 2012, due to a loss of competitiveness against other exporters and climatic effects in some growing areas.
"The export of ornamental plants has been losing a lot of space, mainly because some countries are more competitive than us in this respect, in addition to problems such as a fluctuating exchange rate and the depression experienced by major export markets," said the President of the Chamber of Exporters of Costa Rica (Cadexco), Monica Segnini.
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.
Increased production costs and increased international competition have forced 71% of producers to turn to other crops.
The reasons for this, explained Monica Segnini, president of the Chamber of Exporters of Costa Rica (Cadexco ) are first "the exchange rate and the appreciation of the colon over the last three years, added to which is the increase in production costs".
New techniques for rooting, among others, can be used to add value to products and get closer to the markets such as Mexico, Europe and Japan.
From a statement by the Guatemalan Exporters Association:
"The sale of ornamental plants, flowers and foliage to markets in the U.S., Europe, Japan and Central America, among others, were an important component for the industry in the Ornamental Plants, Foliage and Flowers sector of the Guatemalan Association of Exporters, AGEXPORT, closing 2013 with a growth of 9% compared to 2012.
A study has been released on the distribution chain of agricultural products, the food industry and plants, flowers and foliage.
From the introduction to "Marketing Channels for plants and foods in the United Kingdom", a report by the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER):
The UK is the third destination for exports from Costa Rica within the European Union and the third worldwide for our products in agriculture and the food industry, second only to the U.S. our main trading partner, and Holland which also serves to serve as a "hub" of entry into Europe. Even part of our exports to United Kingdom enter through the Dutch market, which serves as a gateway to other countries in the European market.
Costa Rica is not allowing the entry of potatoes from the U.S. and customs in Miami have increased controls on ornamental plants coming from Costa Rica.
It has been assumed that the increased controls on ornamental plants occurred after the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) of Costa Rica suspended the issuance of phytosanitary requirement forms for importing U.S. potatoes.
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