San Carlos Costa Rica Economy and Agriculture Explained
EXPLAINER · COSTA RICA
Key Facts
- —The country Costa Rica is a Central American country of about 5.3 million people, and San Carlos is its largest canton by area, in the north.
- —Why it matters Pineapple, cassava and fruit juices drive the exports of the northern region, and farming employs 29.5% of its workers.
- —Why now Floods hit Aguas Zarcas on Thursday 15 October 2026, at least the third San Carlos flood episode since mid-August.
- —What happened Red Cross crews logged 45 incidents in the northern zone, 32 of them in Aguas Zarcas, and route 250 closed for about an hour.
- —The numbers Pineapple was 72.6% of the northern region’s US$1.196 billion in exports in 2023, and San Carlos supplied 71.0% of the region’s total.
- —What it means for you US buyers took 49.5% of the region’s exports, but nothing suggests supply has been hit, and travellers should check roads before afternoon trips.
- —Still open No farm-loss figure exists for 15 October, so the economic cost of the floods is unknown.
- —Power Index Costa Rica ranks 9th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 36.5 points (October 2026 edition).
The San Carlos Costa Rica economy and agriculture explain why Thursday’s floods in Aguas Zarcas matter beyond the flooded streets. The Red Cross logged 45 incidents on 15 October 2026, and 32 of them were in that one district.
San Carlos is the largest canton in Costa Rica by area, in a northern region that sells fruit abroad. Our news report, Costa Rica San Carlos Floods Evacuate 4, covers the damage, while this explainer covers what the canton produces.
What Drives the San Carlos Costa Rica Economy and Agriculture
San Carlos had 209,017 residents in 2023, out of 444,547 in the whole northern region, in INEC and social-security data compiled by the export promoter PROCOMER. The canton produced 2.9% of national output in 2021, the latest cantonal year in that profile, and the region produced 4.6%.
Pineapple made up 72.6% of the northern region’s export value in 2023, ahead of cassava at 7.7% and fruit juices and concentrates at 4.9%. The region exported US$1.196 billion that year, and 89.1% of the total was agricultural.
San Carlos alone accounted for 71.0% of the region’s exports in 2023, which is about US$849 million on simple arithmetic. The United States was the top destination, taking 49.5% of the region’s exports.
Nationally, PROCOMER says pineapple was 4% of Costa Rica’s total exports in 2025 and bananas 3%, in a year when goods exports reached US$22.731 billion. On the same 2023 shares, the northern region’s pineapple sales alone came to about US$868 million.
Why Flooding Hits Farms and Roads Hardest
Farming, livestock, forestry and fishing employ 29.5% of workers in the northern region, the largest single sector in the fourth-quarter 2023 employment survey. La Nación counted 165,307 employed people in the region in the fourth quarter of 2025, citing the same INEC survey.
The same PROCOMER profile counts 126,965 visitors to Arenal volcano national park in 2022, the largest figure among the protected areas it lists in the region. It also puts the distance from San Carlos to the Caribbean ports at about 190 kilometres.
Route 250, between Los Chiles and Las Delicias de Aguas Zarcas, closed for about an hour on Thursday, according to Diario Extra. Most of the northern region’s exports travel by sea, according to PROCOMER’s 2023 transport data.
This was at least the third flood episode in the canton in two months. San Carlos Digital counted 60 incidents after rain on Sunday 16 August, with at least 200 homes flooded in Ulima, and La Nación covered more flooding on Friday 25 September.
Diario Extra wrote that the latest rain again exposed how vulnerable several northern communities are to sudden stream rises. Repeated events add cost for farmers and the municipality even when no single loss is large, though no total has been published.
Tourism, Cooperatives and Free Zones Add Support
La Fortuna, one of nine San Carlos districts that reported incidents in August, is the gateway to Arenal volcano. PROCOMER reports that 38.8% of international visitors stayed a night in the northern plains in 2023, second after the Central Valley, with more than 10,000 direct jobs in lodging and food services.
La Nación described a canton built around co-operatives, among them the electricity co-operative Coopelesca and the savings co-operative Coocique. A Norte Free Zone park opened in Ciudad Quesada in June 2025 and now houses five companies.
What It Means for You
US buyers are the main customers, since the United States took 49.5% of the northern region’s exports in 2023. No account suggests that Thursday’s rain has interrupted shipments, so there is no sign yet of a supply effect.
Travellers heading to La Fortuna should check road status and the national weather institute’s forecast before afternoon trips, and our Costa Rica Weather and Climate Guide 2026 explains the rainy season. The accounts of 15 October do not mention damage to hotels or tourist sites.
Investors and expats weighing the north should read the flood pattern alongside a strong local economy. For context, see Costa Rica’s Economy Cools but Stays Solid in 2026, Costa Rica Explained: The Country, Its Politics, Its Economy and What to Watch and Living in Ciudad Quesada: A 2026 Guide for Expats in Costa Rica.
What Is Not Known
No published account gives a farm-loss figure for 15 October, and none says whether pineapple fields, pastures or dairy farms were flooded. The Red Cross and Diario Extra counted homes and shops, not crops or livestock.
The PROCOMER trade and jobs data are for 2023 and the cantonal output data for 2021, so current shares may differ. Newer regional figures for 2024 and 2025 were not available in the profile we opened.
The national emergency commission’s alert status could not be confirmed on Friday morning, and the municipality has not published a damage balance. The national weather institute expects more isolated but intense afternoon storms near the northern mountains on Friday 16 October.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is San Carlos important to Costa Rica’s economy?
It is the largest canton by area and supplied 71.0% of the northern region’s exports in 2023. The canton also produced 2.9% of national output in 2021.
What does the northern region export?
Pineapple was 72.6% of its export value in 2023, followed by cassava at 7.7% and fruit juices at 4.9%. The United States took 49.5% of the region’s exports.
Did the 15 October floods damage crops?
No published account mentions crop or livestock losses. The Red Cross and Diario Extra described flooded homes, shops and a closed road.
Is tourism in La Fortuna affected?
The accounts of the 15 October flooding do not mention La Fortuna or its hotels. Travellers should still check road status and the forecast before afternoon trips.
How often has San Carlos flooded this season?
Local outlets reported flooding on Sunday 16 August, Friday 25 September and Thursday 15 October. The August event left at least 200 homes flooded in Ulima.
Sources: PROCOMER, Caracterización de las regiones de Costa Rica (Huetar Norte profile), 2024; La Nación, San Carlos se reinventa: del corazón ganadero a nuevo polo tecnológico y de inversión en Costa Rica, 16 March 2026; Delfino.cr on PROCOMER, Dispositivos médicos y servicios empresariales representaron el 56% de todas las exportaciones en 2025, 8 April 2026; Diario Extra, Fuertes lluvias provocan inundaciones en San Carlos, 15 October 2026; La Nación, Fuertes lluvias de este jueves dejan 45 incidentes y cuatro personas evacuadas en la zona norte, 15 October 2026; San Carlos Digital, Lluvias dejan 60 incidentes en nueve distritos de San Carlos, 17 August 2026; Instituto Meteorológico Nacional, forecast for Friday 16 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief