In the midst of protests surrounding the growing production of pineapple in Costa Rica, Friday, Costa Rica sent its first shipment of pineapples from the Pacific port of Caldera to Shanghai, China.

The nine ship containers containing over 15,000 cases of pineapples marks Costa Rica’s entry into the Chinese tropical fruit market, said the Xinhua news agency.

“This first shipment of pineapples to China marks a milestone in national exports and a great opportunity for Costa Rica,” said Pedro Beirute, general manager of Costa Rica’s trade promotion agency Procomer.

The fruits in the shipment were produced by four different companies, Upala Agricola, Productos Agropecuarios Visa, Pinales del Caribe, and Agricola Agreement, and all met the strict phytosanitary guidelines set by Chinese authorities, said the Xinhua report.

“We congratulate these companies — pioneers in the Chinese market — and place Procomer’s offices in China at their service and the service of the entire export sector, so they can continue to develop and expand their business,” said Beirute.

Abel Chaves, president of Costa Rica’s National Chamber of Pineapple Producers and Exporters, said the shipment marks the successful conclusion of a demanding phytosanitary verification process and of good agricultural practices.

“We are an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable business that generates 32,000 direct jobs in regions of the country where jobs are scarce,” added Chaves.

 

To further promote its pineapple products in Asia, Procomer said Costa Rica will attend the Asia Fruit Logistica and Asiafruit Congress in Hong Kong in September.