The alleged disrespect for the support price of bananas again generates the reaction of the banana producers sector by proposing not to cut more fruit “to avoid the collapse of the market.”

Banana producers propose not to cut more fruit due to disrespect for the price of the box

This, after the National Federation of Banana Producers of Ecuador (Fenabe) denounced that for four weeks exporters have paid values ​​lower than $ 4 for the box of bananas , despite the fact that the minimum support price is $ 6.25 , a lower value than the 2020 value of $ 6.40.

Another current option is a scheme in which the price varies according to the low or high season of the fruit.

Within this last alternative, the box of 22 XU bananas (18.14 kg) will cost $ 6.90 from week 1 to 16. While from week 17 to 32 it will cost $ 6.60. From week 33 to 42, $ 4.50 and from week 43 to 52, $ 6.40.

Meanwhile, Fenabe, which brings together associations of small and medium-sized producers from Los Ríos, Guayas, El Oro, Esmeraldas and Cotopaxi, assured that each week the losses are around $ 10 million, due to the disrespect to the minimum support price that it raised the current government.

For this reason, added the entity, the producers do not have sufficient resources to face the normal expenses demanded by the crop, as well as the threat of the fungus Fusarium race 4 (FocRT4), present in Colombia and Peru.

The protocol to import varieties tolerant to the Fusarium race will be socialized

“Added to this is the lack of execution of the commitments of the prefectures to build floodwaters at the entrance of each province, where vehicles dedicated to the banana activity circulate,” added the union.