According to a study conducted by the Foreign Trade Promotion Office (Procomer), approximately 355,000 people are employed in Costa Rica’s export sector. The study found that those involved in producing products for export hold 76 percent of jobs in the nation’s agricultural and industrial sectors.
The study, which tabulated the results of questionnaires distributed to companies in the export sector, including coffee, sugar and banana companies, revealed that 200,000 workers are employed in the industrial sector, 150,000 employees work in agricultural exports, and over 5,000 people are employed in the export of fish and beef products. The study found that 35 percent of these employees are women, and that the number of women working in the export sector has increased 4 percent since 2009.
“These results are a clear indication of the social benefit and job opportunities made available by the export of Costa Rican products around the world,” said Jorge Sequiera, general manager of Procomer. “This study highlights the benefits of maintaining stable exports of industrial and agricultural products, and the increased employment generated by increased productivity.”
The study also revealed that 81 percent of all exporting companies are considered small to medium-sized businesses. In 2009, Costa Rica earned $8.7 billion through exports.
