Agrocalidad assures that the humpback fly is not a pest that attacks banana crops. The Ecuadorian government analyzes the case.
Plant of the Mundo Banana company, in Santa Elena.
The controversy between Ecuador and Russia, after the suspension of banana exports from five Ecuadorian companies, affects 25% of total fruit exports to Russia, the main destination of national bananas.
“There is no market in the world that can supply what is sent to Russia, which is around 1.4 million boxes of bananas a week,” says Richard Salazar, executive director of the Association of Banana Exporters (Acorbanec). ).
Between January and November 2023, Ecuador exported 1.3 million tons of bananas to Russia , representing a value of USD 689 million.
This is 82% of the total value of exports from Ecuador to Russia, which reached USD 840.9 million in the same period, according to the Central Bank.
Banana exports to Russia also represent 21% of Ecuador’s banana exports . By country, the United States is the second market for Ecuadorian bananas, with 11.6% share, according to the ECB.
However, by trade blocs, the European Union occupies first place with a 26% share in banana shipments, according to Acorbanec.
Controversy
This February 5, the Russian phytosanitary inspection agency (Rosseljoznadzor) officially sent the Government of Ecuador a request to suspend export certification to five Ecuadorian companies.
The reason? The apparent detection of the humpback fly in banana containers from Ecuador.
The information was made public on February 3, although the official notification arrived two days later to the Phyto and Zoosanitary Regulation and Control Agency (Agrocalidad) and to the Ecuadorian Embassy in Russia.
The five companies sanctioned by Russia are_
- Agzulasa
- Don Carlos Fruit
- Agroaereo Fruit Export
- Agricultural Production Association of El Oro (Asoproagroro)
- Banana Marketer
According to the union representative, Ecuador is complying with the phytosanitary protocols , so they will ask technicians from the Russian phytosanitary authority to come to the country to verify compliance.
In 2019, Ecuador received a first alert from Russia, due to the presence of the humpback fly, but there has never been a suspension of exports to an Ecuadorian company, like now.
“We produce and export bananas, it is what we know how to do. Any other geopolitical issue is already out of our hands and we prefer not to get involved ,” says Salazar about the possibility that this is a political response, due to the announcement by President Daniel Noboa of send Russian weapons to the United States as “scrap.”
Salazar stressed that exports to Russia have not been suspended. “If these five companies cannot export, this country can be supplied through other companies ,” says the director of Acorbanec, who explained that more than 55 companies export bananas to Russia.
“Humpback fly does not attack crops”
For now, the Ecuadorian government’s response has only been on the technical side. Agrocalidad assured, this February 5, that the humpback fly ” is not an agricultural pest of bananas and does not attack or affect crops .”
Despite this, the agency added, they notified exporters and farms about the execution of an action plan, which includes increased monitoring at production sites and packing plants, adequate pest management and adequate rotation of pesticides.
In addition, the entity reported, through a statement, that inspections of the five notified companies will be reinforced, with technical support in all packaging phases . “A specific cargo handling area destined for Russia will also be requested,” the entity said in a statement.
And he added that he has already prepared and sent the corresponding technical response, “which will be delivered through diplomatic channels to the Russian authorities.”
Carnations, Russia is a small market
The Russian phytosanitary entity also expressed its concern about the alleged detection of a pest in shipments of flowers from Western countries, especially of Ecuadorian origin.
These flowers enter Russia through the European Union, which is why the Russian agency requested the suspension of the certification of Ecuadorian carnations , as of February 9, to European Union bodies.
Between January and November 2023, Ecuador exported 133,163 tons of flowers to Russia , which in value represented USD 760,000. It is the eighth product exported to that country.
However, it is a market with low participation, less than 1% , within the destinations of Ecuadorian flowers, according to the ECB.
On the other hand, the possible impact would only be on carnations , which also have a small participation, of just 2% , among the different types of flowers that Ecuador exports, according to statistics from the National Association of Flower Producers and Exporters of Ecuador ( Expoflores).
Favorable balance for Ecuador
Russia is the sixth destination for Ecuador’s exports , with a value of USD 840.9 million in product shipments to that country, between January and November 2023. This market receives more than 40 products from Ecuador.
Ecuador has a positive trade balance with Russia, of USD 777 million , between January and November 2023, due to the importance of its exports to that country, compared to imports that barely reached USD 70 million in the same period of time.
From Russia, Ecuador imports inputs for the production of goods. Fertilizer is the main product imported from that country, in addition, machines and mechanical devices, plastics, chemical products, paper and cardboard are brought.
