Corporacion Bananera Nacional S.A. (Costa Rica)

The Corporacion Bananera Nacional S.A., located in San Jose, Costa Rica, was established in 1971 as the official regulatory body for the banana industry in the country. Its main objective is to promote the progress of the banana sector by creating more employment opportunities and fostering the development of production and commercialization of the fruit, which is categorized as the country's top agricultural export product. CORBANA works in various areas to improve and strengthen the production and quality of bananas in Costa Rica through research and development, innovation, technology, and credit services for banana producers. The corporation has four main focuses: 1. Providing advisory services to the government on banana-related matters, offering information on the overall state of the sector, and proposing policies that ensure the long-term sustainability of this activity. 2. Operating one of the best banana research centers in Latin America and the Caribbean. This center is dedicated to improving current agricultural practices and seeking new production alternatives through various analyses conducted in specialized laboratories, including nematology, biological control, phytopathology, chemistry, physiology, climate, soils, and biotechnology. 3. Managing and sharing specialized scientific information globally, as well as having agreements with various universities in Europe and the United States. 4. Providing banana producers with updated, timely, and reliable information on the banana industry at the national and international levels. This includes access to production data in each country, fruit marketing in different markets, global consumption trends, and economic, commercial, and logistical situations related to the banana sector.