Costa Rica Exports Statistics

From 2020 to 2021, Costa Rica increased by 25% its exportations. Precision and medical equipment is the area with more exports (36%), agriculture follows and behind are food, pharmaceutical drugs, electronics, metalworking, plastics, fish and rubber as the predominant products.

So far, in 2022, exports have increased 19% in comparison with the same period in 2021. These are great improvements for the country even taking the statistics of the pre pandemic years.

More specifically, Costa Rica exports things like medical devices, syrups and concentrates for soft drinks, pineapple (15,4%), coffee (8%), banana (15.9%), electric wires, iron or steel bars, palm oil, wheels, glass containers and fruits or fruit juices.

The principal agricultural companies that export products in Costa Rica are: Del Monte, Cafe Capris, Bananera Atlantica, DICORI, Tropical Rica, Dos Pinos, Laica, Frutas tropicales Venecia y Cafinter. While the principal industrial companies are: Conducen, Kimberly Clark, Vidriera Centroamericana, Atlas, Metalco and Bridgestone – Firestone.

Another big part of Costa Rica’s exportations is services, like having operations for sales, customer service, technical support and such in the country for other countries, like the United States or Europe. So companies can save a lot of money  in salaries and get high performance clerks, developers and more outsourced services. International investment is key for the country’s progress and economy. In the last decade, it has been reported that around 910 million dollars are outlay in the country a year for call centers, software companies, sales businesses and others.

Costa Rica’s free zones have been stable during more than a decade, with government’s benefits the companies located in these areas are concentrating their activities in high end technology like electronic parts and medical products, scientific based devices, work companies and the food industry. The biggest three companies located in free zones are INTEL, Hospira and Coca Cola.

Small business in Costa Rica (called PYMES) also contribute to the country’s exportation rates, mostly inside central america, representing almost 18% of the total exported products and services.

Tourism also contributes since by renting or selling products and services to foreigners, the money comes from outside the country and that still counts like exporting.

Diversification has marked the difference in those numbers because it amplifies the variety of stuff it can produced and purchased from Costa Rica, creating employment options and development for the country. The process of higher dynamism in exportations are reflected in the commercial balance that has increased around 4 times since 2000.

It serves as evidence that Costa Rica is developing in areas like telecommunications and technology with education and quality resources and that’s why our products are being selected. Another good thing is that in the exportations area we are recovering from the covid-19 pandemic.