COSTA RICA – Exports plummeted 17% in CY 2008/09

MILAN – The Costa Rican Coffee Institute of Icafe released on Thursday export data concerning the 2008/09 crop cycle ended on September 30.

Coffee exports from the Central American country drop 17% to 1,318,420 60-kg bags. This compares with shipments of 1,588,005 bags in the 2007-08 crop year.

Exports plummeted 72% in September to 14,942 bags from 52,507 bags in the same month last year, the Institute reported.

Costa Rican coffee production in the 2008-09 harvest cycle is estimated 15% lower at 1.595 million bags. The fall in production was due to the biennial nature of the crop and excessive rains which cut productivity.