Basic HTML Version
19
imported products or other costs
arising from delays that can occur
due to weather or occupation of
the Moin port (these aspects will
be solved with the new Atlantic
port terminal under construction).
The
main
aspects
to
be
considered
in
international
purchasing contracts, for both
oil and its derivatives, are: price,
availability and quality. The
latter includes several costs as it
covers various aspects and each
specification affects the final price
of imports. National products
have to meet policy standards
that are not common in the
international market or Central
American market -our standards
go further – and this has a cost
that all consumers must afford
when facing final prices. Having a
refinery allows us tomake our own
formulations from a commodity
and gives us the security of supply
at a better price.
RECOPE takes advantage of being
a state monopoly by purchasing
large volumes through annual
contracts, which is attractive to
bidders. Consumption in Costa
Rica is also very stable and
suppliers know that there will
not be variations on the amounts
agreed. RECOPE is recognized
globally for paying on time, and
this is valued highly in this market.
All of this gives us a competitive
advantage.
It is obvious that gasoline could
not be sold at the price it is bought.
We are a country that imports this
product and this activity carries
occurs like any other business in
a world operated by producers,
suppliers,
intermediaries
etc.
(all of whom aim to win). The
following is added to market
prices: transportation (freight),
insurance, the suppliers profit
margin, independent inspectors
and product quality (quality is
a big word, this factor includes
many different costs), among
other items that make up the
costs of imports.
In addition, importing, storage,
transferring
and
appropriate
investments to ensure local
supply also have a cost, and make
up RECOPE´s costs of operation
(These operations have been very