Costa Rica export figures down by 3 percent in first five months of 2013

Export figures from January-May this year were almost $200 million less than those registered in the same period of 2012, representing a decrease of 3.1 percent.

The figure appeared in the latest monthly report of Costa Rica’s Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER).

The decline in exports mostly affected medical supplies and prosthetics, electronics, coffee, palm oil and textiles.

According to the PROCOMER report, causes include the adjustment of production figures for local businesses, a decrease in international prices and slow recovery of the U.S. economy and the economies of other export destinations for Costa Rica’s products.

Foreign Trade Minister Anabel González said officials are closely following the problems with these products, but they remained hopeful for a recovery by the end of the year.

González added that the opening of new markets such as Sweden, Ireland, Turkey and India should boost export figures in the coming months.

Between January and May, only livestock, fisheries and food industry sectors showed positive export figures.