Day 241 - 26 Apr 96 - Page 42


     
     1        supplies meat to the USA.
     2
     3        Question:  We are here in one of the largest meat factories
     4        and meat processing factories in Costa Rica.  Can you tell
     5        us something about the significance of the meat factor
     6        [(?)] for your country's export?
     7
     8        Answer:  Yes, meat is one of the country's most important
     9        agricultural products.  Costa Rica has been exporting
    10        [meat] for 20 years.  We export to the United States - it
    11        is the largest country [to which we export], and we sell
    12        the meat with the help of a middleman who works for us in
    13        the USA on a commission basis."
    14
    15        Shall I miss that last question out on that page?
    16
    17   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Yes, it does not help us.
    18
    19   MR. MORRIS:  It does not help us.  It is just that it does give
    20        it authenticity in terms of the interview.  So he asks the
    21        question again:
    22
    23        "Answer:  Sergio Quintana: Yes.  Meat is our country's
    24        third most important agricultural product.  We have been
    25        exporting meat for twenty years.  We export 95 per cent of
    26        the meat we produce to the United States.  Last year that
    27        amounted to approximately 15,000 tonnes.  We sell the meat
    28        on a commission basis to a middleman.  70 per cent of this
    29        meat is sold as 'industrial meat' to the fast-food chains
    30        such as McDonald's, Burger King and others.  The rest the
    31        meat is sold either fresh or frozen as steak (special
    32        cut).
    33
    34        Question:  Do you really supply the fast-food chains?  Are
    35        you sure that the meat which you sell to the middleman is
    36        earmarked for this purpose?
    37
    38        Answer: Yes.  Because the type of meat we produce must
    39        comply with all the technical requirements which are laid
    40        down in the United States.  For example, we only buy meat
    41        which must be at least 80 or 90 per cent lean according to
    42        the type of product it will be used for.
    43
    44        Question:  Which fast-food chains do you supply - which
    45        ones?
    46
    47        Answer:  We supply McDonald's and Burger King - and also
    48        Wendy's.  They buy our meat.
    49
    50        Question:  Here in the Montecillos cooperative, you do not 
    51        only slaughter animals, you also process them into 
    52        hamburgers.  Can you tell us something about that 
    53        business?
    54
    55        Answer:  Yes.  Here in the Montecillos cooperative we do
    56        not just produce for the export market.   We also produce
    57        for our internal market.  It is true that we slaughter
    58        approximately 70 per cent of the cattle for our internal
    59        market.  We also process the meat into different cuts of
    60        beef and into sausages.  We started producing in this area

Prev Next Index