Costa Rican
Shrimp Prices Fall Due To US Embargo
The price of Costa Rican has fallen
drastically as exporters are faced with a
closed US market and cannot get the same
price locally. The price of shrimp has been
falling since May and has hit a new low
record of ˘1.000 to ˘1.500 per kilo for the
small variety.
Shrimp prices have dropped drastically sine
May 7 when the United States closed the
doors to Costa Rican shrimp for the failure
of the government to pass legislation that
protected the marine turtles.
Costa Rican shrimp exporters were getting an
average of ˘9.500 colones per kilo for the
jumbo shrimp, but now the best they can get
is on average ˘6.500.
According to Gerardo Marín, president of the
Unión de Pescadores Camaroneros (shrimp
fishermen association), each trip out to sea
the losses to fishermen is between ˘1.5 and
˘2 million colones.
"Costa Rican businesses are taking advantage
of the closing of the US market to lower the
cost of the product. There is no
justification because it is the same
product, but they say they won't pay us what
we are asking. The problem of a perishable
product is that it has to be sold", said
Marín.
The association president added that many
fishermen have had to suspend their
operations and dock their boats, which in
reality means at least six people out of
work for each boat sitting in dock, which
increases unemployment.
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