Ecuador opens the stage of regularization of banana producers

The regularization process for banana producers begins this Monday, October 12. Brigades and technicians from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) will visit six provinces in order to report on the requirements for this process, especially in plantations not registered by the institution.

Ecuador opens the stage of regularization of banana producers

In accordance with Executive Decree 1127 , the regularization will last one year, in such a way that brigades from MAG, Agrocalidad and the National Institute for Agricultural Research (INIAP) will visit producing provinces such as Guayas, Los Ríos, El Oro, Cotopaxi, Esmeraldas and Manabí .

The Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Xavier Lazo , pointed out that this “regulation” will allow the sector to have a better marketing structure and, at the same time, will facilitate access to specialized credit for producers , and benefits such as the certification of Good Agricultural Practices (BPA) . He recalled that the smaller associations will obtain free services such as pesticide, soil and water analysis, as a preliminary step for their certification.

“This is the most important because we know that for a small producer paying for these services can be difficult,” he said.

The informality is considered one of the biggest challenges, particularly in the banana sector, because, not being registered in the MAG, producers unable to make contracts are for the purchase of fruit and receive payment of the minimum support price . They also become vulnerable to intermediation.

The Undersecretariat of Musaceae issued a manual to request the registration of banana, plantain (barraganete) and other musaceae plantations destined for export.

Producers must gather documentation such as the deed of incorporation of the legal entity , in the case of companies engaged in production; the certificate of liens and history of ownership of the property where the crop is located, and a map with the georeferential coordinates of the productive unit. Instructions and forms can be found on the website of the Ministry www.agricultura.ec.

In order for producers to have an agile process, the documentation may be sent through the email ventanilla_gye@mag.gob.ec , in addition, applicants will have the help of MAG technicians trained for this purpose in the territory.

This process seeks to correct problems such as low productivity, improving marketing conditions and increasing exports. (I)