Programa Descubre promotes access of beef to the European Union
San Jose, February 24, 2021. Through a collaborative process within the framework of the Descubre Program to ensure traceability in the production of beef in our country for export, international cooperation funds have been secured. These funds will facilitate the implementation of the traceability process required in the European Union market for this product.
For the past eight years, Costa Rica has had the opportunity to export beef to the European Union without paying tariffs (tariff quota); however, due to not meeting the requirement imposed by this market for traceability from the birth of the cattle to reaching the market, our country has been unable to take advantage of the favorable conditions offered by the Association Agreement between Central America and the European Union (AACUE) for this product. Now, with the SECO cooperation resources, Swiss funds managed by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the technical work of the National Animal Health Service (SENASA), the implementation of traceability processes will make it possible to export beef to the European Union.
“Through the Descubre Program and with the leadership of the Livestock Development Corporation (CORFOGA), production and industry manuals were developed that will allow us to start having the traceability required by the European Union. Additionally, with the SECO cooperation funds and the support of UNIDO, validations of these manuals will be carried out, and the necessary processes in SENASA and SFE will be strengthened to take advantage of the advantage offered by the EU Agreement to export beef without tariffs. This is a significant first step we are taking to achieve greater market diversification for the meat sector,” said the Minister of Foreign Trade, Andrés Valenciano.
Pedro Beirute, General Manager of PROCOMER, added that, in addition to this project led by CORFOGA from the Descubre Program, “we support companies in the sector to carry out productive transformations by implementing greater use of technologies in their production processes, as well as the acquisition of environmental certifications that give greater differentiation to the product in the European market.”
Luis Diego Obando, Executive Director of CORFOGA, mentioned that the Descubre Program contributes to achieving the corporation’s mission of “contributing to the maximization of the economic, social, and environmental profitability of the Costa Rican beef cattle chain sustainably,” supporting private efforts to place national beef, which stands out for its sustainable and quality production, in a demanding market like Europe.
Additionally, this project includes funds for strengthening the National Animal Health Service (SENASA) and the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE), as building capacities and strengthening these institutions are crucial to implementing traceability processes of international standards so that current and future producers can take advantage of entering the European market.
About Descubre
Descubre is an initiative led by the Ministry of Foreign Trade (COMEX), the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), and the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER), with the support of the Development Banking System (SBD) and the participation of the private sector and academia. The objective is to increase the productivity of agriculture and fishing through a constant process of discovering products and markets, as well as overcoming barriers and eliminating bottlenecks.
Descubre aims to increase the added value of national agricultural production, migrate towards activities that require more skills and knowledge, increase the country’s exportable offer, and attract more investment resources to rural and coastal areas.
For more information, visit www.descubre.cr.
