In July and August, Ecuador achieved good results in the negotiations of trade agreements with China, South Korea, and Costa Rica, with which it has begun the first rounds of talks. Meanwhile, negotiations with Mexico have stalled since the end of May when the last round was held in Quito.
This has happened because Mexico has sought to leave the star products of the Ecuadorian exportable offer, including bananas, out of the agreement.
According to the Association of Banana Exporters of Ecuador (AEBE), the negotiations are currently semi-paralyzed. “The negotiating teams of both countries insist that they continue to negotiate a Free Trade Agreement but it is becoming increasingly unlikely that traditional products and foreign trade basket markers will have access to the Mexican market,” the AEBE stated.
In Mexico, Adrián Prats, the president of the State Agricultural Council of Tabasco and the National Banana Product System Committee, told his country's media that producers were opposed to bananas being included in the Free Trade Agreement between Mexico and Ecuador, the same position that aquaculture producers took with Ecuadorian shrimp. According to Prats, including Ecuadorian bananas in the agreement could cause a collapse in the Mexican market.
Sector data
According to data from the Banana Marketing and Export Association (Acorbanec), based on figures from the Trademap platform that covers 220 countries and territories and 5,300 products, Ecuador exported 6,813,409 tons of bananas to the world in 2021, making it the world's leading exporter.
Meanwhile, Mexico exported 488,078 tons and ranked sixth behind Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Philippines.
The main destination for Mexican bananas is the United States, where it shipped 412,194 tons of fruit in 2021. It is followed by Japan, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, albeit in very low volumes.
Source: eluniverso.com