Nicaragua is the second largest supplier of avocados in Costa Rica, a country that consumes on average 82 million units of this fruit per year, as it is part of their diet.
According to figures from the State Phytosanitary Service of the Ministry Costa Rican Agriculture and Livestock, Costa Rica imported 1,830,701 kilos of avocado from Nicaragua between January 1 and July 7 of this year; i.e. almost the same amount that they imported from Nicaraguan producers in all of 2014.
Mexico is the leading exporter of avocados to the Costa Rican market.
Costa Rican purchases to Nicaragua increased since April, coinciding with the restrictions that the country imposed on the entrance of avocado from Mexico, Australia, Spain, Ghana, Guatemala, Israel, South Africa, Venezuela and the state of Florida, United States, after claiming the sunblotch virus was present in those territories; from where it might spread to Costa Rica.
Due to the controversial restriction, Costa Rican importers sought emerging markets, such as Peru and Nicaragua, to supply domestic demand. This, in turn, increased prices.
According to the data, Costa Ricans eat 17 imported avocados per year.
Between April 2014 and March 2015, Costa Rica imported 82 million units of avocado worth 21 million dollars, which helped meet 40% of the total demand for the fruit.
Source: laprensa.com.ni