During the first nine months of 2018, the main regional crop exported was coffee, with $2,493 million, followed by banana, with $1,939 million, pineapple, with $825 million and sugar, with $645 million.

The main export destinations for coffee are the U.S., Germany, Belgium, Italy and Canada, which together represent 66% of the volume exported by the region, equivalent to approximately $1.7 million.

After coffee, bananas follow in importance according to the value exported. From January to September last year, Central America sold abroad $1.938 million, equivalent to 4.5 million tons. In recent years the average export price of fruits has shown a slight upward trend, going from $0.37 per kilo in 2012 to $0.45 per kilo in 2018.

Pineapple remains Costa Rica’s “star” product. In the first nine months of 2018 the companies of this country exported $825 million, concentrating 94% of the total pineapple exported by the region.

According to foreign sales, sugar was the fourth most important crop for the months concerned last year, since a total of 1.6 million tons were exported, equivalent to $1,635 million. The main destinations for sugar exports are China, the U.S., Canada, New Zealand and Taiwan, which together represent more than half of the volume sold by the region, equivalent to $493 million.