Costa Rica plans to build a 22-story commercial building, with a completion date of April 2024.
CentralAmericaData's "Commercial Feasibility Studies" includes an up-to-date list of public and private construction projects that have submitted Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) to the respective institutions in each country.
As a result of the blockade that has been in place since July 2020 on the entry of animal products from Costa Rica into the Panamanian market, Costa Rican exports to Panama are reported to have fallen and companies such as Dos Pinos are reporting losses in the millions.
The trade conflict began when Panama informed the National Animal Health Service (SENASA), an agency of Costa Rica's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), of the decision not to extend export authorization to a list of previously authorized Costa Rican establishments that have been trading in the Panamanian market for many years.
Unless intra-regional trade in chemical contents and residues, micronutrients and food preparations is regulated in a balanced manner, trade relations in Central America could face obstacles in the future.
Trade between Central American countries is essential, since a considerable proportion of foreign sales by local companies are destined for other markets in the region.
In order to overcome the trade conflict resulting from the blocking of the entry of animal products from Costa Rica into the Panamanian market, both nations have started a dialogue.
The trade conflict between the two countries began in July 2020, when Panama informed the National Animal Health Service (SENASA), an agency of the Costa Rican Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), of the decision not to extend export authorization to a list of previously authorized Costa Rican establishments that have been trading in the Panamanian market for many years.
Although in Costa Rica during December 2020 most businesses increased their sales by about 10%, the expectations of the sector's entrepreneurs for the first quarter of 2021 are still uncertain.
The year 2020 was marked by an economic crisis, which was generated by the outbreak of covid-19 at a global level. In this context, the Costa Rican commercial sector managed to oxygenate its finances with the end of the year celebrations.
Following what began as a blockade by Panama on the entry of animal products from Costa Rica, a formal proposal has been made to apply an import tariff to Costa Rican dairy products marketed in the Panamanian market.
In July of this year, Panama informed the National Animal Health Service (SENASA), an agency of the Costa Rican Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), of the decision not to extend the export authorization to a list of Costa Rican establishments previously authorized and that have been trading in the Panamanian market for many years.
Allowing the operation of economic sectors with low density and lower risk of transmission of covid-19, with the respective biosecurity measures, is the request of the Panamanian business sector to begin to revive the economy.
In this scenario of health emergency and spread of covid-19, businessmen have already held talks with both the Ministry of Health (MINSA) and the Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MICI) on the gradual opening of activities that lead to the resumption of work in sectors that commit to do so through strict compliance with general and specific protocols approved by the authorities, explains a publication by the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP).
Applying cleaning and prevention protocols in workplaces and shops, such as those stipulated by the health authorities, are the proposals of Costa Rican businessmen to resume the commercial activity that has been restricted since mid-March.
Following the spread of covid-19, in Costa Rica and the other Central American countries, governments have decreed mandatory quarantines and have also restricted the movement of consumers at certain times.
The location of a sales point in any city in Central America can yield significantly different results, since the concentration of people on site, the expense they incur and the estimated time for home delivery in the area all have a significant influence.
In CentralAmericaData we developed a geomarketing tool based on interactive maps, through which it is possible to identify where people are and what characteristics they have as consumers.
Costa Rican businessmen support a bill that seeks to modify or suspend payment methods and other contractual conditions of leases in cases of force majeure, such as the current health emergency.
In the context of the propagation of covid-19, the Costa Rican Chamber of Commerce (CCCR) sees with total positivism the plan of relief in the leases, as much for the families, as for the commercial activity, proposal made by the deputy Pedro Muñoz in the Project, file No. 21.851, reason why we requested to be convoked in extraordinary sessions for its discussion.
The impact of the covid-19 crisis on the wholesale sector in Central America is predicted to be explained, to a greater extent, by the expected drop in trade in disposable items.
The "Information System for the Impact Analysis of covid-19 on Business", prepared by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, measures the impact that the crisis will have on companies according to their sector or economic activity, during the coming months.
During the first two months of the year, the country's sales abroad amounted to $519 million, 15% more than the same period in 2019, a rise that is explained by the increase in international prices.
Figures from the Center for Export Procedures (Cetrex) detail that between the first two months of 2019 and the same period of 2020, exports increased by $68 million, from $450 million to $519 million.
Almost 30% of the commercial establishments operating in Santa Tecla are restaurants, hotels, offices, schools and shopping centers.
An analysis of the commercial establishments in El Salvador, carried out by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData shows interesting results about the characteristics of the companies operating in Santa Tecla, a municipality in the department of La Libertad, according to their location and type of activity.
Glovo, a company dedicated to home delivery, opened its first digital supermarket in the country, through which it will serve its customers located in San Jose.
The company reported that the supermarket will be available in the application already accessed by its customers and said the plan is that in the coming weeks will increase the number of products available.
During the fourth quarter of 2019, Walmart's sales increased year-on-year in all countries in the region, except in Costa Rica, where they fell because of the lower dynamism of local economic activity.
The signs of recovery reported in the Costa Rican economy in the second half of 2019 do not seem to have been enough to boost retail trade, as one of the largest supermarket chains is registering a drop in sales.