Banana producers will propose increasing the price per box of banana to $7.04 to the Ministry of Agriculture at the negotiating table, which will be held in the coming days. The current value of exportable fruit is $6. The decision came after a meeting last week at the Naranjal Canton (Guayas).
Farmers agreed on this price based on production costs. Paul Gonzalez, president of the Machala Agricultural Centre, said that it varies in each province. In Los Rios it is $6.08, $5.67 in Guayas and $5.38 in El Oro.
Banana farmers expect the Consultative Council to approve the proposal.
"It’s not only the production costs but also the current employee regularization, these two points are key to an increase in the fruit’s price," said Manuel Medina, banana producer from El Guabo.
The proposal was agreed by the producers of the provinces of Esmeraldas, Cotopaxi, Los Rios, Guayas and El Oro.
For banana producers, the increase to $ 7.04, which will come into play in January 2014, is relative to the sector. "We are aware that we must be competitive, but we are talking about a price that is consistent with the cost matrix we have," said Gonzalez.
Willian Ramon, representing Guayas at the meeting, is one of the promoters of the rise in the fruit’s current value, will go with other leaders to deliver the proposal to the Minister of Agriculture, Javier Ponce.
Source: diariopinion.com