"Given the lack of investment, fewer Ecuadorian producers are growing pineapples"

More than a month before the end of the Ecuadorian pineapple campaign, Diana Navarro, of Renesa, outlines the current situation: "We finished the harvest in late June and saw a decline in the production, mainly due to the phenomenon of El Niño. We estimate that excess rainfall caused a 20% reduction in the total volume. Even though the harvest has just come to an end, we are already involved in the preparation of the fields and are obtaining the best plants for the planting. Fortunately, given that it is an annual crop, we have the opportunity to renew and introduce the best plants."

With the reduction in the supply of pineapples worldwide, prices are also expected to be affected, even though this was not the case last year. "Despite the fact that Costa Rica had a smaller production and prices had been expected to go up, Ecuadorian pineapples also suffered some slight quality issues, so the price did not increase, but remained stable.

Unfortunately, the producer is the one accepting the highest risk. We produce, spend money, and also suffer the most from the impact of climate change. We have to take into account that for every hectare devoted to pineapples, you need to invest $ 22,000," affirms Navarro.

"Even though we have the ideal climatic conditions for the fruit's cultivation, the national trend is for the production to fall. The main reason is that our main competitor, Costa Rica, is still way ahead of us. We still need to modernise our processes and invest a lot in the crops to be able to reach their level, so right now the returns are not as expected," reiterates the spokesperson of Renesa.

For more information:
Diana Navarro
Renesa
T:+593 998269000
E: dianan9@renesa.com
www.renesa.com