Banana producers from Ecuador have urged the government to accelerate efforts to achieve a free trade agreement with the European Union, as it would improve the competitiveness of Ecuadorian fruit. The FTA would benefit the country by reducing tariffs, stabilizing a compact demand with Europe, and it would expand relations not only with the multipartite members of the exporting countries block, but also between Ecuador and the EU.
Domestic banana producers and traders argue that their neighbours and competitors will keep increasing their market share in Europe so long as the country doesn't reach an agreement. Thus, they stress the urgency to accelerate the process that will benefit more than 4 million people living indirectly off the production and marketing of the fruit.
Ecuadorian exporters are paying $179 dollars in tariffs while the neighbouring countries (Peru, Colombia and Costa Rica) are only being charged $117 dollars. Two months after the Ministry of foreign trade led the delegation to negotiate the free trade agreement and didn't achieve the expected results, producers and exporters are beginning to despair.
Source: Diariopinion.com