The suspension of banana exports from five Ecuadorian companies to Russia, following a dispute between the two nations, is impacting 25% of the total fruit exports to Russia, the primary destination for Ecuador's bananas. “There is no market in the world that can supply what is sent to Russia, which is around 1.4 million boxes of bananas a week,” states Richard Salazar, executive director of the Association of Banana Exporters (Acorbanec).
From January to November 2023, Ecuador exported 1.3 million tons of bananas to Russia, amounting to USD 689 million. This represents 82% of the total value of exports from Ecuador to Russia, which reached USD 840.9 million in the same period, according to the Central Bank.
The controversy began on February 5, when the Russian phytosanitary inspection agency (Rosseljoznadzor) sent an official request to the Ecuadorian Government to suspend export certification to five Ecuadorian companies, due to the alleged detection of the humpback fly in banana containers from Ecuador. The sanctioned companies include Agzulasa, Don Carlos Fruit, Agroaereo Fruit Export, Agricultural Production Association of El Oro (Asoproagroro), and Banana Marketer.
Despite the controversy, Salazar emphasizes that exports to Russia have not been suspended. “If these five companies cannot export, this country can be supplied through other companies,” says the director of Acorbanec, who noted that over 55 companies export bananas to Russia.
Source: ecuadortimes.net