Dos Pinos will begin to compete in the Costa Rican beef, pork and sausage market through the La Granja brand.
The companies informed that the plan is to offer the new line of products starting in the second half of 2021, being caterers, bakeries and grocery stores, the marketing channels that will be used to reach consumers.
The increase in the international prices of corn and soybeans, inputs used to produce animal feed, threatens to put upward pressure on the production costs of meat, eggs and dairy products.
In recent months, the international price of a bushel (27 kilos) of soybeans increased by 28%, from $10.6 to $13.62, between November 1, 2020 and January 28, 2021.
AR Holdings will invest $1.5 million in the opening of The Capital Grille restaurant on Avenida Escazu.
According to information provided by the conglomerate, the restaurant is expected to open to the public by the end of the first semester of 2021 in premises that will have an area of 470 square meters.
In the last five years, pork consumption in Central America increased 42%, from 197,000 tons in 2014 to nearly 279,000 tons in 2019, growth that was boosted by the Salvadoran and Honduran markets.
Figures from the "Pork Market Snapshot" prepared by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, detail that in the last two years’ regional consumption of pork registered a 3% increase, since between 2018 and 2019 it is estimated that demand in Central America rose from 270 thousand metric tons to 279 thousand tons.
When the economies of Central America begin to relax the restrictions that have been taken to prevent the spread of covid-19, it is expected that in the area of processed meats, sales of pork ham will be among the most contracted.
Using a demand/income sensitivity model developed by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project the variations that household demand for different goods and services will undergo as the most critical phases of the spread of covid-19 are overcome and the measures restricting mobility in the countries of the region are lifted.
After meeting all the requirements demanded by the Asian country's authorities, the first shipment of 24,000 kilos of frozen pork cuts was sent on February 14.
The company that made the first shipment is Carnes Zamora, which in the first shipment included chops, ribs, shoulders, fat, skin, legs, horns and ears.
As part of the FTA signed between the two countries, since January 1, 2020 beef and pork from the U.S. do not pay tariffs or taxes on entry into Costa Rica.
According to the Free Trade Agreement signed, the relief of beef and pork will be valid for 15 years, while the so-called black parts of the chicken, such as thighs and others, will be released until January 1, 2022, in this case for the term of 17 years.
As in the case of Panama, Chinese authorities gave their endorsement for the processing plants Porcina Americana and Carnes Zamora to start selling pork products to the Asian giant from January 2020.
Following the authorization granted by the Asian country, pig farmers predict a strong impact on employment generation in rural sectors where most pig farms are located, reported the National Animal Health Service of Costa Rica (Senasa).
Between 2017 and 2018, the number of cattle rose from 1.49 million to 1.58 million, an increase of 5%.
The National Agricultural Survey (ENA) prepared by the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses, specifies that of the total number of cattle counted in 2018, 61.8% corresponds to meat production, 15.8% was allocated to milk production, 22.2% dual purpose and finally, working animals represent 0.2%.
Due to the fact that preference for "vegetable" or plant-based meat is growing quickly in major global markets, food industry business groups have begun to make investments to meet this novel and growing market niche.
Foods that were once considered the exclusive consumption of vegans or vegetarians are now becoming popular, and in the case of the United States, in supermarkets it is increasingly normal to see meat products made from plants.
Reports of African Swine Fever in Asia alert countries in the region to strengthen border controls, especially in the management of food waste from airplanes and ships.
The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) urged the strengthening of animal health and public and private veterinary services in the member states to prevent the recurrence of African swine fever (ASF) in the region, the institution warned in a statement.
The 52% of the total cattle registered in the country corresponds to animals for meat production, 16% to dairy cattle and 31% for double purpose.
The National Agricultural Survey (ENA 2017), carried out by the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC), details that among the main results was found that the country has 1,497,551 head of cattle.
It has been announced that after having met all the requirements, the country has officially obtained recognition as a nation free of Classical Swine Fever.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock reported that "...This recognition gives Costa Rica an official health status, thanks to the fact that the country does not have the disease and the conditions of legislation have been fulfilled which include veterinary services, control and eradication strategy, animal identification system, control of their movements and laboratory diagnosis, among other things."
Starting from November 24 of this year, new guidelines will be in effect governing requirements and conditions for transporting pigs in the country.
Directive SENASA-DG-D001-2017, published on August 24, officialized the new "Official Guide for Transporting Porcine Cattle," which will constitute the new regulations for transporting pigs from 24 November.
In the last five years annual per capita consumption of pork in the countries of the region increased from 4.6 kilos in 2012 to 5.3 kilos in 2016, and growth was driven mainly by Panama and Costa Rica.
Between 2012 and 2016 regional pork consumption has maintained an upward trend, growing from 205 thousand tons in 2012 to 249 thousand tons in 2016, which is an increase of 21%.