Pineapple Exports Expected to Grow

U.S. fruit distributor Chiquita Brandsannounced it plans to increase the numberof pineapples it purchases from CostaRica. The company plans to transfer muchof its pineapple-export operations fromColombia to Costa Rica, the daily LaRepública reported.During the next eight years, Chiquitawill purchase an additional 2.5 millioncrates of pineapples a year from CostaRican producers.Eugenio Rodríguez, director ofTropical Fruits for Chiquita, said the companywill export an additional 6 millioncrates of Costa Rican pineapples this year.The company expects that amount togrow to 10 million crates in 2005.Last year, Costa Rica’s pineappleexports generated $207 million in revenues.That amount is expected to increaseby 37% to $284 million this year.Costa Rica is a world leader in pineappleexports, and renowned for its “golden”pineapples – a very sweet yellow varietyof the fruit that has become popular.The country produces pineapples year-round.The main destinations of pineapplesfrom Costa Rica are the UnitedStates, Italy, Belgium, the UnitedKingdom and Argentina.According to the National ProductionCouncil, 49 firms market Costa Ricanpineapples.