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Banana farmers expect agreements with countries in Asia and the Middle East
Posted On 19 Dec 2019
The banana sector estimates to close this year 2019 with the total export of 360 million boxes of bananas, that is, 10 million more than in 2018 ($ 3,000 million).
Banana farmers expect agreements with countries in Asia and the Middle East
One of the main challenges of 2020 will be to continue with the implementation of biosafety protocol and contingency plans against Fusariun Race 4 or Panama Mal.
In 2019, exports with the European Union (EU) had a 3% reduction. “We have less demand because there are fruits that compete with bananas such as avocado and citrus fruits,” said Raúl Villacrés, executive director of the Banana Exporters Association (AEBE).
For his part, Richard Salazar, executive director of the Banana Marketing and Export Association (Acorbanec), explained that despite the reduction of shipments to the EU, important markets have been opened in East Asia in countries such as China, Japan and Korea. .
Also in Syria, Turkey and Algeria. From January to October 2019, 60% of banana exports went together to the US, European Union and Russia, and 33% to Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
Both exporters expect the signing of trade agreements with these countries by 2020 to be more competitive. “They are markets that are growing and require fruit from Ecuador,” Villacrés said. Banana activity not only translates into currencies, but also jobs.
450,000 people work in the field and 50,000 more in the production chain. On the alert that Russia issued on Tuesday, December 17, 2019 about the presence of the humpback fly (Megaselia scalaris) in the Ecuadorian banana, the Ministry of Agriculture reported that from 2014 to October 30, 2019, 43,466 phytosanitary certificates were issued of bananas to that country (7,820,253 tons) with zero pest notifications.
The ministry clarified that this fly is not a banana pest, has not affected the plantations, nor the quality of the fruit and does not affect human health.
https://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/economia/4/bananero-acuerdos
