Peru business mission seeks deals with Costa Rican companies

A trade mission formed by 75 Peruvian business executives from the food, services and manufacturing sectors will visit Costa Rica next week to promote trade negotiations.

The ExpoPerú Centroamérica conference will be held Aug. 12-13 at the Hotel Real InterContinental in Escazú, southwest of the capital.

Peru’s Foreign Trade and Tourism Ministry is promoting the event, in which Peruvian business managers and owners will meet with 160 Costa Rican importers during the two-day event.

A free trade agreement between Costa Rica and Peru entered into force on June 1. It eliminates up to 80 percent of tariffs on products and provides better access to the Peruvian market for Costa Rican products such as meat, palm, palm oil, tea, chocolates and cocoa.

Peruvian asparagus, olives, oranges, tangerines, grapes, cocoa, textiles, jewelry and precious metals now enter the country with better trade conditions.

According to Costa Rica’s Foreign Trade Promotion Office, trade with Peru reached $64.4 million in 2012.

Peruvian business owners also will hold a similar meeting in Panama, on Aug. 15-16.