The ministers of agriculture of Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Colombia and Ecuador, and the delegates of the Dominican Republic and Panama agreed to promote an amount of compensation for banana producers and exporters in their countries on international markets.
This, under the concept of shared responsibility and in view of the increase in production costs of the fruit and shipping costs that the large distribution chains of international markets do not recognize and that are absorbed by producers and exporters.
This problem was analyzed on Wednesday at the Latin American Summit for Banana Unity, which took place via telematic means and was convened by the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of Ecuador, Pedro Alava.
Banana producing countries in the region seek a common position in the face of rising costs and international markets.
“We are not here to lament our current situation, no, but rather for there to be a unanimous voice to vindicate our rights,” said Alava when he declared the summit open.
During the meeting, which lasted approximately one hour, each country analyzed its situation.
Regarding the amount of compensation, Alfredo Saltos, former Minister of Agriculture of Ecuador, who participated as moderator of the meeting, explained that this should establish as a reference the parameters already used in the only certification that recognizes the exogenous impacts and sustainability efforts in the production and export chain based on the minimum reference price per country and per product certified “Fair Trade” that analyzes the particularities of each country and a premium of one dollar per additional box.
