Lack of irrigation infrastructure impedes development

Ecuadornews:

In Ecuador lacks much in agricultural terms. In 2014, 34.09% of permanent crops used irrigation infrastructure. In 2016 there was an improvement: the figure rose to 36.3% according to the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC).

Sugar cane and banana crops got the highest marks. Of the 109,000 hectares of sugar cane, only 896 had no infrastructure. And in the banana plantations, of 186.222, 163,571 acres feature irrigation systems.

But irrigation only cover 22% of cacao crops, the most important in Ecuador (559,617 acres), which explains the low productivity in some areas.

Franklin Borbor, with 20 years of experience in the Association of Cocoa Exporters (Anecacao), says that water marks the difference: you can stop producing 35 quintals or more, without irrigation. (I)

Source: http://www.expreso.ec/economia/la-falta-de-infraestructura-de-riego-impide-el-desarrollo-YF1722414