The Costa Rica News (TCRN) – Commerce Minister of Ethiopia, Yaekob Yalla, visited Costa Rica in order to learn about the process involved for planting sustainable products and creating responsible exports.
Accompanied by representatives of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Yalla observe plantations of the National Platform for Responsible Pineapple Production Trade in Costa Rica, a project involving UNDP, the Costa Rican government, and other companies in the agricultural sector.
The project, according to UNDP, is used to generate a model of responsible production and trade of pineapples in Costa Rica.
“We want to enter a global market and hence are trying to modernize the agricultural sector,” said the Ethiopian Minister.
Yalla noted that since 80% of export earnings of the country are coffee, accounting for 30% of the total agricultural sector.
“We were looking at the best agricultural systems so we can follow that path. We want to establish a platform for coffee that is sustainable and responsible, like they have in Costa Rica for pineapples,” said the Ethiopian official.
According to the minister, one of the main focuses of the visit to Costa Rica is see how they can penetrate the global market with the help of the government.
“We are constantly trying to improve our exports. Nationwide are working to finalize the Growth and Transformation Plan, a five year plan with ambitious but complicated goals that can be achieved,” said the minister.
One of the main goals of the plan is to have an annual growth of at least 8.1% in the agricultural sector.
The minister said that one of the biggest obstacles facing the country is that they are landlocked, but added that they are working on roads and trains in a way to facilitate the transportation of exports.
The African also said the Ministry of Commerce seeks to promote and diversify export products in order to find buyers while create ties with other countries. (ACAN-EFE)
The Costa Rica News (TCRN)
San Jose Costa Rica