Costa Rican agricultural exports generated $1.2 billion during the first eight months of this year, showing a 16% increase over the $1 billion this industry grossed during the same period in 2005, according to the Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER).
The main agricultural products exported were bananas, pineapple, coffee, melons and ornamental plants.
Banana has been the strongest agricultural export so far this year ($398 million), showing a 28% increase over the first eight months of last year.
Costa Rica is the second largest exporter of bananas in the world behind Ecuador, whose annual sales reach about $500 million.
The second strongest Costa Rican agricultural export so far this year has been pineapple, whose sales reached $284 million, a 31% increase over last year.
Exports of coffee, however, have seen a 3.4% decrease during the first eight months of the year over the same period last year, when the product generated $203 million.
After bananas, pineapple and coffee, melon has earned the most in exports ($84 million), followed by ornamental plants ($54 million).
During the first eight months of the year, Costa Rica s total exports reached $5.4 billion, 18% more than the $4.5 billion sold during this period in 2005.
