According to Multimodal World, an exporter of fruit, the possible merger between the two largest banana companies in the world, Chiquita Brands International and Fyffes Plcno, should affect the Ecuadorian industry.
Martha Cordero, manager of the company's fresh fruit for South America, said she wasn't concerned about the market power that both companies could gain in Ecuador.
"It's not going to affect us much because they have established their own customers and we aren't really competing with each other. Fyffes' fruit quality in Ecuador is the same as ours; they have the same safety and quality control that we do," she said. "I'm not worried about that."
Cordero also stated that the merger would not affect market prices for farmers, since the government had set a minimum price per box.
Regarding production, Cordero said it was going very well so far this year. "The quality has been very good and we have not had any complaints," she added.
Multimodal World produces its own bananas, but sometimes buys them from small producers.
Cordero stated that the company exported about 2,200 containers per year to customers around the world, including Arab supermarket chains and a Chinese importer who receives about 350 containers per year.
The representative of Multimodal World added that she had noticed a significant increase in demand for organic bananas and that they had recently reached an agreement with a Polish supermarket chain to supply them with products free of pesticides.
Source: Fresh Fruit Portal