According to Gabriel Mancilla, the owner and manager of Finca La Trinidad, the current banana season has been good in terms of prices, but the cost of fertilizers has been a major challenge for farmers. "The cost of fertilizers is very expensive due to the war in Ukraine, which has caused a significant increase in prices," Mancilla said in a recent interview.
Despite the challenges, Mancilla is optimistic about the banana market for 2023. "The price for 2023 is good due to the lower supply of bananas in the market, creating scarcity, and in economics, when a product becomes scarce, its prices increase," he said. The impact of climate on banana cultivation has also been a challenge for Mancilla and other banana farmers in the Caribbean region of Colombia. The excessive rainfall in 2022 affected the production substantially, stressing and damaging banana plantations.
"The climate situation is something we all face in the banana industry," said Mancilla. To overcome this challenge, Mancilla and his team have focused on improving productivity and finding alternative ways to fertilize the soil. "We have opted for drones and backpack motor pumps to apply products. This has helped us to improve productivity and efficiency," he said.
The current demand for bananas is higher than in previous seasons, according to Mancilla. "Many plantations were affected totally or partially in 2022, so those who manage to recover quickly will have a very good year in 2023 since the competition is minimal," he explained.
For Finca La Trinidad, the main market for their bananas is Europe. "Our exporting company only sends to the European market. For the United States, there are other companies like Dole. So, our market is only in Europe," said Mancilla.
Despite the challenges, Mancilla and his team remain committed to producing high-quality bananas and contributing to the growth of the banana industry in Colombia.
For more information:
Gabriel Mancilla
Finca la Trinidad
Email: gabomancilla@hotmail.com
Tel: +57 3146305534