Costa Rican Pineapple Sector
Booming
Costa Rican pineapple exports
were worth us$470 million
to the country’s economy in
2007, according to the Foreign
Trade Promotion Office – but
this figure is less than
originally forecast.
At the start of last year,
experts had predicted that the
sector would be worth us$500
million in 2007. But the current
figure still represents a
substantial increase in
shipments.
Costa Rica is the world’s
leading pineapple producer and
the fruit now ranks as the
country’s fourth-most valuable
export.
But concerns are abroad that
intensive pineapple cultivation
may have a negative impact on
the environment, especially
given the extensive use of
agro-chemicals.
There are 40,000 hectares of
pineapple plantations in Costa
Rica, compared to 12,000
hectares in 2000. Some 20,000
people are directly employed by
the industry.
|
