An alliance to jump sanitary barriers

The Government and businessmen agree on the need to open phytosanitary permits for Ecuadorian agricultural products to enter more markets. Both believe that the strategy is to work together.

In 2015, the Ecuadorian Agency for Quality Assurance of Agro Quality (Agrocalidad) opened markets for 131 products in 33 countries. Getting China, the United States, Chile or Argentina to allow Ecuadorian food to enter their perches can be a real challenge, the authorities admit.

China is an example. Ecuador has obtained two permits in that country. The first, in 1982, were bananas. The second was mango, which took thirteen years of negotiation and technical and production improvements. That market was opened last year.

Patricio Almeida, general coordinator of Vegetal Health, points out that the two cases are a success, but more is needed. He said that the alternative is to work hand in hand with the private sector. That is why there are continuous approaches.

Almeida understands that it is the farmer the one who knows what he can produce. The work of the State is, he stresses, to train and open markets so that these foods are of good quality and are exported.