Country Sends First-Ever Sugar Export to Mexico

COSTA Rica is set to export 23,450metric tons of sugar to Mexico, the firsttime it has ever exported sugar to thatnation, according to the Agricultural-Industrial Alliance of SugarcaneProducers (LAICA).The export was brought about by asection of Costa Rica’s free-trade agreementwith Mexico, signed in 1995, whichstipulates that when Mexico importssugar it must assign a tariff-free quota toCosta Rica.Mexico usually places a $396 tax onevery metric ton of sugar imported, so thetax-free quota specified by the free-tradeagreement is a major achievement forCosta Rica, according to LAICA.On Monday, LAICA director EdgarHerrera would not reveal the plannedshipment date nor the amount Costa Ricaobtained for the shipment, but he said thesugar would be shipped sometime thisweek and the price was reasonable.Authorities hope to maintain theexport quota during the next three years.