As I blogged three weeks ago, Costa Rica will be hosting the upcoming Central American and Caribbean Poultry Congress in June. So, I have been finding out how the Costa Rican poultry industry is doing.
Costa Rica is a small Central American nation, with only 5.2 million people. Their poultry needs are rather small but have substantially evolved in the last 20 years. This country ranks No. 14 among the 18 Latin American nations included in our list on broiler production and No. 12 in egg production.
As of 2022, Costa Rica produced 84.6 million broilers and had 4.42 million layers in production. Chicken per capita consumption is 31.5 kg, and egg consumption is 240 eggs per person. The latter, in particular, has grown from 180 eggs ten years ago. Poultry proteins account for 50% of animal proteins consumed by Costa Ricans.
As a Newcastle disease-free country and with an insignificant HPAI case in a 130-hen backyard operation, Costa Rican poultry producers are not restricted to domestic consumption. They also export fertile eggs, one-day old chicks and one-day old pullets, as well as meat and processed products to their natural market – neighboring Central American nations and Colombia – which I find wise.
One aspect of interest I noticed is the fact that there are three multinationals with operations in this peaceful nation: the Guatemalan CMI – Corporación Multi Inversiones (the well-known Pollo Campero) and the two U.S.-based companies, Cargill Protein Latinoamérica and Walmart.
Why are these big companies there? Well, as William Cardoza, CEO of the Costa Rican Poultry Chamber (Canavi), told me – “we provide legal certainty, there is a good investing environment and we have a strategic geographical location.” These statements match with the strategy these companies have of a regional cluster and of expanding the 5-million people market to a 40-million market.
The other fact that surprised me is that Walmart is producing chicken and eggs – through CCA S.A. – holding 20% of chicken market share and being among the three top egg producers in the country. I was not aware of this type of venture in Latin America – of a supermarket chain producing poultry products.
All these companies are exhibiting at the Central American and Caribbean Poultry Congress. This or other particularities might make it worthy to attend this event.
What do you think?
