Did you know that most of bananas, pineapples and melons consumed in
several countries of Europe and in the United States have a Costa Rican
stamp?
With just 51,100 square kilometers and a population of a little more
than 4 and a half million inhabitants, this small country bet on
diversifying non-traditional products under an integral strategy of
trade, and that has been the success of its current leadership on
several products that exports every each.
Costa
Rica is the first world provider of fresh pineapple and it is
positioned as the third worldwide exporter of bananas. Also, it is
among the first marketers of melon and the first global exporter of
palm heart.
Live butterflies have also given Costa Rica a first
place medal in the world, with more than 70,000 pupae shipped each year
to different markets.
It is also the first exporter of
“chayotes” (vegetable pears) in the world, a leader in the manufacture
of rubber gaskets, and one of the main suppliers of hair dryers and
leather belts to the United States, as well as of underwear for men,
besides being the second provider of soccer balls and medical
instruments to that country.
Only in the United States, and
representing just 0.02% of all its international purchases, Costa Rica
also became the main supplier of roots such as cassava and the second
in terms of fresh vegetables and prepared fruits.
Traditionally,
Costa Rican trade was based on coffee and bananas; however, for several
years now; other possibilities that emerged became stars exporters and
not only in the agricultural field. Integrated circuits and electronic
microstructures, in addition to computer parts, currently head
international sales.
This received a strong boost with the
advent of the transnational Intel which built here one of its main
plants, where its most revolutionary chip of the last 15 years is
currently manufactured.
In spite of this technological
development, the traditional leading products such as bananas, remain
strong. Banana is the fourth product in the list of leaders, followed
by sweet fresh pineapple, and of course coffee.
Original: http://www.thesjopost.com/news/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=359%3Acosta-rica-a-little-big-exporter&catid=45%3Aperiscope&Itemid=86&lang=en