5,000 industrial jobs lost
The scant growth that characterizes industrial production this year resulted in the dismissal of almost 5,000 permanent employees from January through September.

Industrial production - not including the high-technology sector - increased only 1 percent in September - as compared to the same month in 2003 -, according to the monthly index of economy activity from the Central Bank.

The Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) confirmed the data by reporting that the number of formal workers in the industrial sector decreased from 123,000 to 118,000 the first nine months this year.

Industry accounts for almost one fifth of the domestic production, and in September it employed 12 of every 100 workers.

Industrial sectors explained that the lower growth experienced this year results from the increase in raw materials -particularly oil and steel-, a decrease in domestic sales, and the competition from factories in China.

Good Living
Costa Rica placed 35th in a world ranking of countries where the living is good, sponsored and printed by The Economist.

Ireland tops the list, while Costa Rica is above Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Panama, and is surpassed in Latin America only by Chile (31st) and Mexico (32nd).

The British weekly's ranking took in over 111 countries and analyzed factors such as per capita income, health standards, freedom, unemployment, family life, weather, political stability, security, and equality of gender.

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Coffee Producers in Costa Rica Reap Rewards of Canadian Solar Technology Using the latest solar technology, a Canadian-led partnership is helping coffee producers in Costa Rica save energy and help the environment. Canadian Trade Counsellor Sylvy Gariepy of the Canadian Embassy in Costa Rica unveiled a cutting-edge solar coffee-drying test site in Tilaran - the largest of its kind in Central America. "This is an exciting day for the future of solar energy in agricultural applications," said Ms. Gariepy. "This facility exemplifies the unlimited potential and benefits of this renewable energy source." The site was developed by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), the Government of Canada's Technology Early Action Measures (TEAM) program, Conserval Engineering Inc. of Toronto and Coopeldos R.L., a coffee-growing cooperative in Costa Rica. "This project is another example of Canada's leadership in developing innovative approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) that will have lasting benefits at home and around the world," said the Honourable R. John Efford, Minister of Natural Resources Canada. "Increasing energy efficiency and using clean, renewable energy sources are essential to addressing climate change." At the Tilaran plant, 850 square metres of Conserval's Solarwall® panels were installed on the roof. Intake fans draw in warmed air from the perforated panels to dry the coffee beans. The Solarwall technology was developed with support from NRCan, is 40 percent more efficient and costs 25 percent less than conventional solar products. "Coopeldos has shown leadership in the coffee industry by switching to solar energy, and their customers, including Starbucks, are benefiting from the quality and taste of the solar-dried coffee beans," said John Hollick, President of Conserval Engineering Inc. "For Coopeldos R.L., this is a great opportunity because it fulfils two of our institutional goals: quality and innovation. The use of technologies that protect our environment is one more element our clients will consider when they choose our coffee. It is not only organic and of the highest quality, but it is also produced with a technology that avoids deforestation, whereas our previous system ran on wood," explains Juan Carlos Álvarez, General Manager of Coopeldos R.L. This project was sparked by a Canadian-led study of the International Energy Agency's Solar Heating and Cooling Program. The study found solar crop-drying systems result in significant energy savings, reduced use of fossil fuels and lower GHG emissions. The Tilaran facility is one of six test sites - the others are in Panama, China and India. These sites are expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1,000 tonnes a year, primarily by displacing fossil fuels. The projects in Costa Rica and Panama are also helping to prevent deforestation by reducing the amount of wood burned.