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FAS/San José expects orange production to increase approximately 11 percent in marketing year (MY) 2024/25 to 250,000 metric tons. Production in MY 2023/24 was lower than previously expected at 225,000 metric tons as a result of erratic rainfall patterns associated with the El Niño weather phenomenon.

This report provides economic, market, and regulatory analysis for U.S. exporters looking to do business in Costa Rica, highlighting trends and offering a practical overview of the local market.

Bolivia announced on October 19 the approval of Intacta, a new biotech soybean variety with insect resistant Bt and glyphosate resistant traits. Intense drought and more unpredictable weather are disrupting Bolivian farmer livelihoods and they see the Intacta approval as one helpful step towards improved crop productivity and environmental resilience.

Production of genetically engineered products (primarily cotton for seed and pink pineapples) is expected to increase in 2025 as new cotton events are expected to be approved by the National Technical Biosafety Commission.

This report provides information and guidance on the export certification requirements for U.S. products entering Costa Rica. This report supplements the 2024 Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) Report prepared by the San...

This report outlines the regulatory requirements and import procedures for food and agricultural products entering Costa Rica. The only significant regulatory change since the 2023 report was the adoption of a Central American Technical Regulation...

The dynamic Costa Rican retail sector reflects the country's growing economy and increasing demand for new products. Consumers are influenced by tourism, culinary trends, and social media, with higher-end consumers paying premiums for healthy products and environmentally sustainable packaging.

On June 4, a Costa Rican court restored the Chaves administration's policy of dramatically lower tariffs on imported milled and rough rice, overturning an earlier court ruling that reversed the lower tariffs in April 2024.

Zambia’s production of its staple crop, corn, is expected to drop by more than 50 percent in marketing year 2024/25, due to extended dry spells associated with the El Niño event. Almost a million hectares of corn have been destroyed by the drought that forced the Zambian President to declare a “National Disaster and Emergency”.

FAS/San José projects marketing year 2024/25 coffee production to remain near record low levels, as exchange rate challenges, persistent labor shortages, and above average precipitation forecasts prevent the sector from rebounding.

Though relatively small, the Costa Rican food processing sector relies on U.S. exporters to maintain critical supply chains. Proximity, reliability, and familiarity help make the United States the preferred supplier for a wide range of food processing ingredients, including wheat, corn, and animal proteins.

FAS/San José expects Costa Rican sugar production in marketing year 2023/24 to recover from a 20-year low in the previous year and to continue to rise in marketing year 2024/25 on expanded area planted to sugarcane as producers in Guanacaste continue to abandon rice production.