PROCOMER: The essence of Costa Rica’s agricultural sector is on display at Fruitlogistica 2023

• The products being promoted include, among others, pineapple, banana, yuca, taro, eddoes, sweet potato, green coconut, chayote, sugar cane, and papaya.

SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, Feb. 13, 2023. Diversity, excellence, quality, and innovation are just some of the characteristics that make up the essence of the Costa Rican agricultural sector, which is putting its exportable products on display at the most important fresh produce fair in Europe: Fruitlogistica 2023, taking place in Germany from February 8 to 10.

Along with the country’s brand Essential Costa Rica and the Foreign Trade Promoter (PROCOMER), the companies participating in the trade fair include Golden Roots, ByC Exportadores, Chestnut Hills, Grupo Batgal, Exportaciones Donatella Costa Rica, Exportaciones Norteñas, Grupo Acón, Grupo San Alberto, Agrícola Industrial La Lydia, Piñalbo, Cultivated Pineapples from Costa Rica, PROBIO, Tropifoods Costa Rica, Upala Agrícola, Verita Costa Rica, and Grupo Visa.

This year, Costa Rica’s participation includes a varied offer of products such as fresh pineapples, bananas, yuca, taro, eddoes, traditional sweet potatoes and orange sweet potatoes, green coconuts, chayote, sugar cane, papayas, mangoes, plantains, and organic pineapples.

“Costa Rica’s agricultural sector is recognized the world over thanks to factors such as the diversity of its offer and the quality of the fresh products exported. This has allowed us to position ourselves in international markets as a supplier of excellence. Costa Rica is recognized as the world’s top exporter of pineapple (2021, Trademap), the top supplier of roots and tubers to the United States, and ranks #5 in the European Union (2021, Trademap), among others. This recognition translates to employment and well-being in many regions of the country, especially for those outside the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM) that are traditionally engaged in agricultural activities,” said Pedro Beirute Prada, general manager of PROCOMER.

Every year, more than 1,900 exhibitors from 87 countries participate in Fruitlogistica, and around 72,000 professionals from the sector visit it, seeking to establish new business relations, follow up on current ones, and discover trends and innovations.

Merilyn Acuña, key accounts manager of Grupo Visa, commented that “the main purpose of being here (at Fruitlogistica) is growth. For this reason, we are looking for new business opportunities as well as taking care of the clients we already have. Europe is an extremely important market where we are experiencing growth. And being here, hand in hand with PROCOMER, makes us feel confident that the trade fair will bring us important opportunities.”

As she sees it, Gabriela Sandí, commercial manager of Exportaciones Norteñas, added that “the goal of the company, in its participation at Fruitlogistica, is to build commercial relations in Europe. There is always room to establish contacts with companies, follow up, and visit with our current clients. And what better way to do that than hand in hand with PROCOMER, who has always been a strategic ally.”

Beirute emphasized the fact that Fruitlogistica is a strategic trade fair for PROCOMER and for the sector since agricultural exports represent 3.2% of the country’s GDP and 10% of the employed population works in activities related to the agricultural sector. “Since exports and the agricultural sector are the engine of our economy, we must encourage, innovate, and support the sector in search of new business opportunities,” he concluded.

The agricultural sector in numbers

• Exports from the agricultural sector represent 19% of total exports, the second most important sector (2022). Source: PROCOMER.
• The Costa Rican agricultural sector exported 2,243 million dollars’ worth of goods to 104 destinations (2022). Source: PROCOMER.
• 594 companies exported 176 products from the agricultural sector in 2022. Source: PROCOMER.
• The #1 exporter of pineapples in the world (2021). Source: Trademap.
• The #1 supplier of roots and tubers to the U.S. and the #5 to the European Union (2021). Source: Trademap.
• The #3 exporter of bananas in the world (2021). Source: Trademap.
• The #2 supplier of bananas to the European Union (EU-27) (2021). Source: Trademap.
• The #1 supplier of yuca to the European Union (EU 27) (2021). Source: Trademap.
• The #4 exporter of yuca in the world (2021). Source: Trademap.
• The #1 supplier of bananas to Spain and Germany (2021). Source: Trademap.
• The #4 supplier of melons to the Netherlands (2021). Source: Trademap.
• The #1 supplier of watermelons to the Netherlands (2021). Source: Trademap.
• The #2 supplier of chayote to the US (2021). Source: Trademap.
• The #1 exporter of ginger from Central American countries (2021). Source: Trademap.
• The #2 supplier of ginger to the European Union (2021). Source: Trademap.