COSTA RICA

Capital: San Jose
Population:  4,016,000
Currency: Colon
Official Language(s): Spanish

I. CHEMICAL MAXIMUM RESIDUE LEVELS (MRLS)

    Please click on the above link for a list of chemical MRLs.

II. CHEMICALS AND ADDITIVE INFORMATION

    A. Chemical residue standards:

      Costa Rica's chemical residue standards are based on Codex and U.S. standards.

    B. Monitoring chemical residues:

      Costa Rica does not actively monitor chemical residues on imported fruit. A residue analysis laboratory is being built which will make monitoring residues possible in the future.

    C. Restrictions on use of waxes:

      Costa Rica follows U.S. established regulations on the use of waxes.

III. ORGANIC FRUIT REGULATIONS

No information.

IV. TARIFFS

    Apples and pears are assessed an ad valorem duty of 14% on the CIF value.  In addition, apples and pears are also assessed a fixed tax of 1% and a sales tax of 13%.  The effective tax rate is therefore 30%.  Cherries are only assessed the 14% ad valorem duty and the 1% fixed tax, or a total tax rate of 15%.

    The 14% tariff on apples, pears and cherries should be eliminated immediately once the Dominican Republic-Central America-U.S.  Free Trade Agreement enters into effect.

V. NON-TARIFF BARRIERS

    A. Labeling requirements:

      Labels should be in Spanish and should include the following: Name of product, country of origin, name and address of the importer, net weight, U.S. quality grade. Net weight should be expressed in the metric system.

    B. Licenses and quotas:

      None.

    C. Currency Issues:

      Importers are no longer required to make prior deposits in Colones with the Central Bank. Importers can freely obtain foreign exchange at this time with no prior deposits.

    D. Pest and plant disease restrictions:

      An Import Permit (IP) and Phytosanitary Certificate (PC) are required.

E.  Solid Wood Packing Material (SWPM) Regulations:

VI. SUBSIDIES

Government officials give technical assistance to apple producers.

VII. MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES FOR PACIFIC     NORTHWEST TREE FRUIT INDUSTRY

Pear Bureau Northwest:

Luis Moreno
Grupo PM S.A. de C.V.
Morelos, MEXICO
Voice:   011 52 777 3167370
Fax:      011 52 777 3167369
E-mail:  grupopm@grupopm.com

Washington Apple Commission:

Juan Carlos Moriera
Centro Commercial El Pinar
Queretaro, Mexico
Voice/FAX:  011 52 442 218 1097
E-mail:  jcmets123@gmail.com

VIII.  OTHER RESOURCE LINKS:

Governmental: 

IX.  ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

The Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act was signed by President Bush on August 2, 2005.  Costa Rica has not yet signed this agreement.

The bulk of apples imported from the U.S. come into the country in November and December. Demand is highest during the Christmas season. Lower quality apples are also being imported from Guatemala. Increasing domestic production of the Anna variety is substituting for imports from Guatemala to some extent. However, local importers believe that these domestic apples will have little impact on the imports from the U.S.

Special thanks to
FAS Field Office - Costa Rica

105 South 18th Street, Suite 105
Yakima, Washington 98901, USA
Voice: (509) 453-3193, Fax: (509) 457-7615
E-mail general@nwhort.org