Even though banana exports currently rank second in the Honduran agricultural export scale, there is concern amongst producers as production has declined in recent years. Alden Rivera, Minister of Economic Development and representatives of the banana industry got together to discuss possible solutions to reverse this drop in production and how to encourage the sector's growth.
The official said that the producers were interested in increasing production and innovating and modernizing their internal marketing processes.
In this regard, the Government will work with stakeholders to promote the sector. "Our goal is to regain the export place we had ten years ago, when shipments exceeded the 40 million cases," he said.
Currently, the country exports 20 million cases of bananas and had revenues of $458.3 million dollars in 2013.
Hector Castro, president of the National Association of Banana Producers, stated that the independent banana sector has lost 40% of cultivated areas nationwide. He added that they seek the support of the Government so Honduras becomes one of the top banana exporting countries in the world, like in the seventies.
In this sense, he said, there are two fundamental aspects in any business so it can grow: productivity and market access.
One of the actions that will be taken to rescue the sector is the renewal of the soils where bananas are cultivated, as they are depleted and compacted. To achieve this, producers need fresh resources at a low interest.
$30 million dollars is needed within the following four or five years to reactivate the crop.
Source: Laprensa.hn