The Government of Costa Rica announced last Tuesday the resumption of exports of ornamental plants to the European Union (EU), a block that suspended them in 2015 as a phytosanitary measure to prevent the eventual entry of the Xylellafastidiosa bacterium.
The State Phytosanitary Service (SFE), attached to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Costa Rica, reported this Tuesday that after a series of inspections, the EU authorized the exports of the company Innovaplant, located in the town of Sarchí, province of Alajuela (downtown), by declaring it free of Xylellafastidiosa.
“This means that the Innovaplantcompany’s production nursery meets the requirements for a site free of Xilellafastidiosa in Costa Rica. This action opens the door for Innovaplant’s specific greenhouse, but in the future also for other companies that comply with the provisions of the regulations”, explained the SFE.
Companies that want to export ornamental plants to the EU must go through a process of inspections and scientific studies to certify the production area as free of bacteria. The suspension of exports to the EU affected various Costa Rican companies that sent more than 100 species of ornamental plants to that group of countries.
According to official data, exports of ornamental plants from Costa Rica reached US$91.2 million, for an increase of 30% compared to US$69.8 million recorded in 2020.
