Costa Rica’s coffee industry is set to lose up to 10% of its harvest this season, primarily due to labor shortages and unseasonable rainfall. New immigration restrictions in neighboring Nicaragua, alongside unusual weather patterns, have disrupted the critical coffee harvest.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s government recently imposed strict laws that penalize individuals who enter or leave the country illegally. Offenders face fines of $1,000 and prison sentences of up to six years. These laws have made it difficult for Nicaraguan workers, who have traditionally crossed into Costa Rica to work on coffee farms, to do so this season.
According to Costa Rica’s National Coffee Institute (ICAFE), labor shortages have led to 15% of the coffee beans being left unharvested on farms. Victor Carvajal, head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), reported that fewer than 50 Nicaraguan workers have entered the country legally during this year’s harvest. This shortage has heavily impacted regions such as Turrialba, Coto Brus, Pérez Zeledón, and Los Santos, where early-maturing crops are being affected the most.
Martín Hidalgo, technical manager at ICAFE, explained that the slower pace of harvesting combined with December’s atypical rains has caused a significant portion of the coffee to fall from the trees. As a result, ICAFE has launched a campaign to encourage Costa Ricans, particularly young people, to join the harvest and help mitigate the labor gap.
The initiative aims to attract individuals from all walks of life. “We know that most Costa Ricans are engaged in more formal work, but we hope that people can support this activity. It can be a great source of income for those who are unemployed or work informally,” said Hidalgo. The government has set the official wage at ¢1,165 ($2), but many farms are paying between ¢1,500 ($3) and ¢2,000 ($4) per day.
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