Business chains hold out new hope for rural development

Business chains represent a new development model that is being adopted in rural Guatemala. Promoters say it can do more to build prosperity than any political or government mechanism.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

The first stage in the development of a chain is the identification of a buyer interested in acquiring a product of a rural community. The buyers are linked to producers' associations capable of meeting targets and product specifications. The producers are then provided with technical assistance.
Over the last two years, 1,833 producers have successfully formed 10 chains, of which six are agricultural, one agro-industrial, one is in tourism and another in handicrafts. Total sales so far come to US$1.5 million.

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Plastics Industry in Costa Rica

February 2011

Exports promotion agency Procomer unveiled a study of the plastics industry in the country, focused on business linking opportunities in Costa Rica and abroad.

The study was based on surveys to 52 companies operating in this industry, and some of the findings include that 78% of the sector is made up by small and medium companies, which require industrial and administrative technology to develop attractive permanent deals.

Agricultural Value Chain Finance

October 2009

Seminar covering best practices in agricultural value chains and financing its components.

The seminar is being organized to take place in Costa Rica in the second half of November, 2009.

The target audience will be representatives of financial entities active in the agricultural sector, non-financial companies with a stake in the sector (producers, cooperatives, processors, exporters, marketers, input suppliers), Government authorities, business chambers, non-governmental organizations, international organizations and academic the use of agricultural value chains as a mechanism for offering financial services to all the stakeholders involved.

Free Ports Buy More "Local"

June 2009

To lower the costs of their supplies, businesses in the Free Port zones of Costa Rica are expanding the productive chain to include local suppliers.

Nor the uncertainty of the status of the Free Port Zone Law, which is stuck in Congress, nor the impact of the global crisis that has caused exports at Costa Rican free port zones to fall 16% in the first quarter of 2009 have reduced the determination of these businesses.

Consortiums: Strength Through Union

March 2009

Overcome weaknesses, build strengths; partnerships between companies to achieve vertical or horizontal integration is a good bet for growth.

Some of the forms of horizontal integration that business partnerships assume are to reduce costs by purchasing a pool of supplies, market exports as a whole and consolidate to lower freight charges.

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