Costa Rica News – The company Del Monte, with its pineapple division Pindeco, is to operate in Osa, around an archaeological site.
This expansion has been approved but the debate it sparked is not over.
The crops are not to touch the World Heritage Sites but will surround them. Some believe this hinders the appropriate conservation of the archaeological heritage that makes the canton stand out. When a banana plantation was there it caused a lot of damage to the archeological items.
The region is home to the legacy of the pre-Columbian ancestors that populated the delta of the Diquis river over 1,500 years ago. It includes 200 points of interest, including famous stone spheres.
One of the requirements for approval was to realize an inspection of the land in question to determine the state of nine areas containing archaeological material. The National Museum will determine whether to display the items or leave them on site.
Locals say that as the plantation will be just 500 meters from the local square, the agro-chemicals can negatively affect the population as well as sites of world interest in the Terraba-Sierpe wetland. A march in protest is happening today.
