Date: September 2023/ GQSP Costa Rica

During August and September, UNIDO held eight workshops in Costa Rica to share good bovine practices necessary to comply with the regulations that the European Union (EU) requires to export meat to that market. These workshops were held throughout the country, in San José, Santa Rosa de Pocosol de San Carlos, Barranca, Puriscal, Guápiles, San Vito, Pérez Zeledón and Liberia. They were attended by around 370 interested participants. 

This effort is part of the Special Measure GQSP Costa Rica that belongs to the Global Quality and Standards Programme (GQSP), funded by the Swiss Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and implemented by UNIDO. During these trainings, the results of the GQSP related to the strengthening of the Costa Rican quality infrastructure and the revision of the Manual of Good Livestock Practices in the Production of Cattle for Beef Exports to the European Union, officialized by the National Animal Health Service (SENASA), were also shared.  

The above-mentioned Manual consists of ten sections on farm intervention: legal aspects, biosecurity, traceability, herd health, administration of veterinary products, cattle feeding, farm water, animal welfare, facilities, and waste management.  

The workshops also detailed the adjustments needed in the farms in order to gain access to the European market, presented some economic approaches to price differentiation, and stressed the importance of livestock traceability as a first step to comply with European requirements.   

The Minister of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica, Manuel Tovar, indicated his satisfaction at having concluded this part of the programme and quoted that "these efforts bring us even closer to the goal of exporting beef to the European Union, a partner with which, within the framework of the Association Agreement, there is an export quota that we must take advantage of".