In July 2013, the Ecuadorian Banana Regional Corporation (AGROBAN) made first contact with Chinese companies to launch a program of direct shipping of fruit to the Asian giant.
"After the negotiations, we sent the first shipments in the second week of November 2013 and, as a trial, we agreed to send 5 containers a week, for a total of 20," said AGROBAN's CEO, Manuel Romero Portes.
"We had initial problems with the transit time and the absence of ships that departed for China on a weekly basis. Due to the transit delays the first shipment was received 60 days after it was shipped, however, the fruit arrived in good condition. To date, these issues have been solved," he said.
"After finishing this trial stage, starting the first week of April 2014, we started to export 6 containers per week," explained the CEO.
Romero said that prior to this agreement AGROBAN didn't ship bananas to China and that, generally, Ecuadorian exports to that market were not significant.
"Ecuador exported about 1,400,000 boxes of 13.5 kilos in 2013. To date, our country's exports already reach those numbers, so based on that trend Ecuador should triple its exports to China by the end of this year," he said.
AGROBAN has an agreement with an importer "with which we have established a relationship of mutual trust with the aim of having an important position in the Chinese market," Romero said.
"The fruit arrives at the Port of Dalian, as was determined by the client. We understand that, as the Port is located in northern China, the chances of marketing our fruit are higher."
"It is also important to note that our fruit differentiates itself from that from other countries because of its quality, size and flavour," Romero said.
The executive director of AGROBAN explained that, "we are embarking on 126,360 kilos of bananas a week since April 2014. This number will increase by 100% in October and November because of the higher demand there is in that market for the fruit at said time."
"The total contract, until the end of the year, is for 5,644 tons."
Asked about the importance of the Chinese market for Ecuadorian bananas, Romero said that, "it is and will be very important for us."
"The Chinese market will allow our fruit to have a new destination option. Ecuador, as a leading exporter in the world, is the country that has diversified its export the most because of its fruit's quality and longer lifespan on a hanger."
Source: Fresh Fruit Portal