The Senda Verde Corporation is an Ecuadorian group of small and medium banana producers who merged so they could access the international market and start exporting their fruit. The corporation currently has about 200 hectares, between all its partners, and a production capacity of 10,000 boxes of organic bananas per week. Their bananas are marketed under the Peter Banana and the Senda Verde brands and are mainly exported to United States, Germany and Canada.
The group recently visited the PMA Fair in New Orleans to make new contacts that would help them market their production abroad and it has received support from Pro Ecuador, which will help promote them. According to Eduardo Velasco, from Senda Verde Corporation, "the biggest struggle when selling organic bananas is to change the consumer's mindset so he understands the products benefits over the conventional one."
In terms of production, the higher costs involved in organic farming are a disadvantage for the Ecuadorian national market. The prices fixed by the government do not distinguish between organic and conventional bananas, so the domestic business depends on having customers that are able to pay more and appreciate the added value of a product that, even though it's much more susceptible to pests during growth, provides the same guarantees as the conventional product once it leaves the farm and is taken to its final destination.
Global GAP, FairTrade, Organic, FDA, Ceres, NOP and EEC have certified Senda Verde Corporation, so it is able to conduct business in any market. The firm has marketed with organic bananas free of agro toxic chemical ever since its inception. Starting November 2011 the corporation became a part of Fair Trade in order to promote fair trade relations between producers and consumers.
For more information:
Machala, El Oro, Ecuador
Eduardo Velasco
Phone numbers: (593) 994100962; (593) 993265871 (593) 2 2 952-849
sendaverde1@gmail.com
petergquimi@gmail.com
eduardo.velasco@corpsendaverde.com
http://www.corpsendaverde.com