Haul-out and repair facilities for boats are relatively good. 

 Haul -out charges are based on keel length. For shrimp trawlers the 

 charge is about 23 cents a foot. Lay days, other than the day of haul- 

 out which is included in haul -out charges, are chcirged at half the haul- 

 out price. 



Diesel fuel is about 17 cents a gallon. 



PROCESSING ATJD MARKETING 



Frozen shrimp are flown to Miami, Florida in plane-load lots 

 for 5 cents a pound on the gross weight. Refrigerated ocean freight to 

 the United States is k cents a pound. 



Foreign-flag vessels may be permitted to fish in Costa Rican 

 waters. Permits must be obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture and 

 Industries. 



There is one freezing plant and several small home-type freezing 

 units. Shrimp are frozen in a cold room in the freezing plant. Glazing 

 is accomplished by dipping the carton of frozen shrimp into fresh water. 



Some of the plant vjorkers in Puntarenas are paid an hourly wagej 

 others are paid on a piecework basis. Women receive 1 colon (about IS 

 cents) an hour and men 1.25 colones (about 19 cents). 



In Puntarenas, shrimp for outsiders, already packaged, are 

 frozen, glazed, and stored for 1 month for slightly under 3 cents a pound. 



FOREIGN TRADE 



An export license is required. Licenses are obtained from the 

 Central Bank. Export duties and exchange controls are also applicable 

 to shrimp. Fresh, frozen, or iced shrimp carry a 2-percent ad valorem 

 duty based on the f.o.b. value. Of the dollars received for exported 

 shrimp, 65 percent must be converted at the free-market rate of 6.63 

 colones to the United States dollar and 3$ percent at the official rate 

 of 5.60 colones to the United States dollar. Hence the conversion rate 

 for dollars earned from exporting shrimp is 6.2? colones to the United 

 States dollar. 



In the export statistics shrimp are lumped under the general 

 heading of crustaceans and mollusks and are reported in gross kilograms 

 of weight. In 195h a total of 65,000 pounds of crustaceans and mollusks 

 were exported from Costa Rica. Of this amount, 63,000 pounds were ex- 

 ported to the United States, 1,100 pounds to Curacao, and 900 pounds to 

 Honduras. It is believed that almost all, if not all, of these quantities 

 were shrimp. 



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