San Jose, Costa Rica- During the beginning of 2012, Costa Rica exported USD 836 million dollars. This represents a growth of 18.6% over the same month of 2011, when this figure reached USD 705 million. The Foreign Trade Corporation (PROCOMER) today released the latest export data, which show an increase in exports of goods from free trade zones (18%) and definitive system (18.6%). The first went from U.S. $ 354 million to U.S. $ 418 million, while the final arrangements grew from U.S. $ 341 million to U.S. $ 404 million.
“The export performance in January was excellent. As in 2011, we continue to see growth in many sectors and many destinations. If this trend continues, 2012 will be a very good year for the export sector and the national economy, “said the Minister of Foreign Trade and Chairman of the Board of PROCOMER, Anabel Gonzalez.
Exports from the industrial sector showed an increase of 20.5% to U.S. $ 610.88 million, the farm showed an increase of 13.9% to U.S. $ 202.92.Finally, livestock and fisheries sector exported U.S. $ 22.12 million, an increase of 11.8% compared to January in the previous period.
According to the report North America remains the main region for exports with 43.4% (U.S. $ 363 million) followed by the European Union with 17% (U.S. $ 142.1 million) Central with 14.6% (U.S. $ 122.2 million) and Asia with 13.8%. The cumulative increase in the latter region is an incredible 60% as in January 2011 exports reached U.S. $ 71.9 million, while last month the figure closed at U.S. $ 115 million. Meanwhile, exports to South America increased from U.S. $ 14.2 million to U.S. $ 20.8 million, a remarkable growth of 46.5%.
“These results are very positive for January. At PROCOMER we are very pleased to be able to contribute to the growth of national exports especially to small and medium enterprises, “said General Manager PROCOMER, Jorge Sequeira.
Some goods that had a significant increase comparing January 2011 with the same period in 2012 were: pineapple (30%), coffee (51%), palm oil (31.7%), medical prosthetics (23%), electrical cables (32.7%) and fish fillets and other fish meat (21.8%)
(see box: Growth of some major products by sector).
|
Growth of selected major products by sector |
|||
| Product |
January 2011 |
January 2012 |
Cumulative change |
| Manufacturing | |||
| Electronic Components |
120.7 |
194.4 |
61.1% |
| Electric cables |
12.7 |
16.9 |
32.7% |
| Medical prostheses |
21.8 |
26.9 |
23.0% |
| Agricultural | |||
| Green coffee |
27.1 |
40.9 |
51.0% |
| Pineapple |
49.3 |
64.1 |
29.9% |
| Food | |||
| Palm oil |
9.3 |
12.2 |
31.7% |
| Sauce and preparations |
5.6 |
6.6 |
16.5% |
| Livestock and Fisheries | |||
| Fish fillets and other fish meat |
4.8 |
5.8 |
21.8% |
| Beef |
3.8 |
4.1 |
8.8% |
* Figures in millions of dollars, Source: PROCOMER
