Costa Rica To Import
162.000 Tons Of Rice
The government of Costa
Rica has authorized the
importation of 162.000
metric tons of rice free
of duties for the
balance of this year and
next. The news came from
a government decree
published in La Gaceta
signed by president
Oscar Arias, foreign
trade minister, Marco
Vinicio Ruiz, economy
minister, Marco Vargas,
and agriculture
minister, Javier Flores.
With the authorization,
the Corporación Arrocera
Nacional (national rice
corporation), will
proceed with purchasing
rice on world markets to
ensure sufficient supply
for the coming year.
A recent study showed
that the country needs
to import the 162.000
metric tons to add to
the national production.
The purchase will not
come in one shipment.
According to Oscar
Campos, president of the
rice producers Connaroz,
the government has made
a wise decision and now
the process will begin
of selecting and
purchasing a quality
grain at a good price.
Currenlty Costa Rica
purchases 98% of its
rice imports from the
United States. Campos
said that Connaroz will
analyze making purchases
from other countries
like Brazil and Uruguay.
Campos added that Brazil
and Uruguay are not
currently large
producers, but are
producers of quality
rice which Costa Ricans
are accustomed to.
The current
international price for
a metric ton of rice is
us$550. A year ago the
price was us$371. |
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