In March, Costa Rica’s manufacturing industry recorded a growth rate higher than the growth rate of the entire country’s economy, according to the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR).
The growth rate of the economy in March was 4.7%, compared to the same month of 2015; whereas the manufacturing sector grew 6.1%, which is completely different from the negative figure of 2015 (-1.9%).
This year, the better performance of this sector is related to increased external demand for products such as manufacture of medical and dental instruments and supplies; optical, photographic and magnetic instruments; processing and preservation of fruits and vegetables; irradiation, electronic, medical and therapeutic equipment; processing of vegetable and animal oils and fats.
On the other hand, agricultural activity recorded a positive variation of 0.1%, due to an increased production of exportable coffee, bananas, milk and beans; and the construction industry registered a decline in the first quarter of 2016 of 2.7%