Minister Bernardo Manzano pointed out that the audit will be carried out on the 245 companies that export bananas, as well as the 15 export associations.
Referential image of banana boxes from exporters in the Port of Guayaquil, May 2012.
With the notification to 25 banana exporters, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) began the audit process announced by its head, Bernardo Manzano, on June 7.
The following were notified: Ecuagreenprodex SA; Chiquita Banana Ecuador; Banexcel SA; Ambafruits S.A.; Mendoexport S.A.; Agroproban SA; ExportFruit Chain Andrade Exportfruit; Aurumagri SA; Sentilver SA; Frutadeli SA; Agrícola Internacional La Semilla SA Agrisemsa; and Green Golden Fruit; Techniagrex.
There are also: Quality Bananas for the World Banacalm SA; Banana and Quality Tropical Fruits for the World Frutical SA; Best Bananas Best&Bananas SA; Mendieta Renda Fabian Rodolfo; and Agricultural Production Costa Sur Proagricosur SA
The list closes with the Association of Farmers July 3; Trinyfresh SA; Exporbanalva S.A.; Association of Agricultural Production of Banana Producers of the Pacific «Aprafico»; Banana Exporter Aurumagri SA; Fruit Exporter KillariExportkillari SA; and Tropicalrepublic S.A.
The notified companies must present the definitive shipment plan , the cutting orders, the shipment cards, the payments through the Interbank Payment System to the producers, the fruit settlements, in addition to the invoices.
According to Minister Manzano, the audit will cover a total of 245 banana exporting companies, as well as the 15 exporting associations. The objective is to verify that they are paying the minimum support price for the fruit box, set at USD 6.25 .
The sanctions that banana exporters would face range from economic fines of between 25 and 50 times the amount of the damage for non-compliance, to the suspension of exports for 15, 30 or 60 days.
In the event of a fourth breach, the suspension will be final.
The audits of companies and exporter associations are carried out by the Undersecretary for the Strengthening of Musaceae.
In addition, a technical team from the MAG crosses information with the Interbank Payment System (SPI) of the Central Bank of Ecuador (BCE), to determine whether or not companies and exporter associations comply with the payment of the minimum support price of the fruit. .
