US boost in food imports could help Tico producers, export agency says

Costa Rica’s Foreign Trade Promotion Office, or PROCOMER, is eyeing a recent U.S. Agriculture Department report that noted the United States will spend an additional $8 billion this year on food, compared to last year’s figures. PROCOMER says the increase could benefit Tico exporters, particularly producers of fruits and vegetables. 

The USDA report noted that fruit and vegetable imports would increase from $8.3 billion in 2013 to $9 billion this year. Imports of juice, meat, candy, chocolate and coffee also are expected to increase.

The U.S. was one of Costa Rica’s most important trading partners in 2013, with exports to to the U.S. totaling 38 percent of Costa Rica’s total sales, PROCOMER said.

Costa Rica’s agricultural sector in 2013 exported $1.1 billion to the U.S., with pineapples, bananas, premium coffee, yuca and melon being the top-exported goods.

Producers interested in selling to the U.S. can contact PROCOMER’s Foreign Trade hotline at: 800-PROCOMER or by email at info@procomer.com. Bilingual staff is available.

The agency currently has two trade promotion offices in the U.S. that serve as a liason with buyers in that country.