Ecuador Banana Producers Prefer to Lose Rather than Accept Unofficial Payment

Banana farmers in the province of El Oro say they cannot bear anymore with the disrespect to the official price of the box of fruit.

Yesterday they warned local authorities with closure of activities, if no measures are taken to get paid the value set by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Aquaculture and Fisheries (MAGAP).

Today it should be paid $ 5.50 per box, but they only pay up to $ 3.00.

Paul Gonzalez, president of the Agricultural Center Machala said they prefer to sacrifice and not sell the fruit if they get paid less by exporters.

Gregory Leon, a small producer of Pasaje Canton, said 200 boxes were sold, but the exporter,-he declined to give its name- only buys him 150 and although the contract says that $ 5.50 dollars must be paid, he said that the price was not fulfilled.

“Sometimes we pay $ 4.50 and there is nothing else to do but to sell them at that price to avoid losing. We have to sell as a ‘discount’ the 50 boxes that they do not want to pay out, because the fruit is damaged and cannot be returned to the farm,” complained Leon, who requires more control of the authorities.

Similarly, producers want method “Fast” to be aproved in order to prevent importers to buy between themselves the fruit and reduce the purchase from producers.

They request the authorities to control spraying values that cost $ 11 to $ 12 per hectare, but the prices always fluctuate because no one governs it.

The producers say they have nowhere to turn to denounce the lack of respect to the cost of the box because MAGAP must meet requirements of other sectors.

Banana leaders expect to meet with the minister this week to discuss the problem and present a project for the creation of an Undersecretary of Banana. (FL)