Costa Rica pineapples

Costa Rican pineapples could soon be heading for China following a visit by the country’s foreign trade minister Alexander Mora, to the Asian country last week to strengthen trading ties between the two nations and widen market access for Costa Rican agricultural products.

The subject was discussed during a meeting between Mora and Viceminister Sun Dawei of Chinese quarantine authority AQSIQ on how to speed up the process of establishing phytosanitary protocols to permit Costa Rican products to enter China.

“With the protocol for pineapples and langoustines in the final stages of negotiation we talked with the vice minister about the importance of finalising the deal and continuing discussions on other protocols that will enable us to diversify our exports,” Mora said.

“We are very pleased with the results of the meeting, during which both parties reiterated their commitment to fulfilling the objectives we have set ourselves.”

Costa Rica has been part of a Free Trade Agreement with China since 2011 which has already paved the way for exports a number of agricultural products including bananas.