Following a request not to increase or alter the port service values or fees during the process of containerization in the Port Authority of Puerto Bolívar (APPB), made by the Government of Lenin Moreno to the Yilport company, there could be a rapprochement on the horizon between banana producers and the Government.
Last week representatives of the Ministry of Transport and Public Works (MTOP) and Yilport, APPB and the Banana Marketing and Export Association (Acorbanec), met to define the issue, reaching mutual agreements.
For example, the tariff will be maintained at 15 cents per box of bananas in Ecuadorian ports. This will cover the transfer from the truck to the ship's hold and will be maintained until 2021.
According to producers, this resolution was achieved thanks to the constant meetings of the sector with President Moreno and the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, where they proposed stability for the sector that continues to be one of the largest contributors to the State's economy.
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"We have reached an agreement with our strategic partner Yilport to guarantee the competitiveness of the banana export sector, thanks to the successful dialogue and negotiation process arranged by the President (Lenin Moreno)," said David Mejia, the manager of APPB.
Paul Gonzalez, the president of the Agricultural Center of Machala, said the agreement would be formally signed in the coming days, and that they expect that, with this incentive, the sector will continue to consolidate its production.
According to the leader, there are around one million 500 thousand boxes that leave through Puerto Bolivar. This percentage means that the annual economic contribution of the banana production from El Oro will surpass 670 million dollars, with approximate 80 million boxes per year.
Hence, the agreement is expected to benefit the productive sector in terms of competitiveness in the international market.
Source: diariopinion.com