The spot price for a box of Ecuadorian bananas reaches $ 11

In Ecuador, in the province of Los Ríos, the price of a box of spot or non-contract bananas in week 10 reached $ 11, compared to $ 6.20 on average per contract box.

Local banana growers explain that the cold, torrential rains that still persist in that province, together with ash fall emitted by the Sangay volcano, have significantly decreased the supply of said product, which directly influences the price that exporters must pay for the fruit.

The ash that fell in week 9 in a large part of the Ecuadorian coast will have an effect on productivity. It will take at least a year until the flooded areas in Catarama, Quevedo and other parts of Los Ríos and Guayas recover.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, there have been determined 769 affected hectares of banana cultivation, mostly of medium and small producers.

In the upper area of ​​Los Ríos, the sheaths are low, between 30-40% less than in a normal season, which is reflected in a decrease in the harvest also for the next few weeks.

Exporters comment that this figure is provisional and could increase depending on weather conditions.

Above all, more rains are expected, which would aggravate the problem in traditionally risky areas, such as Vinces and Baba (Los Ríos). Plantations of yellow corn, banana, yucca and other products also have difficulties due to excess water. The authorities recommend to keep drains in good condition.

source: expreso.ec

photo: freshfruitportal.com