Ecuador will conduct crucial banana pricing negotiations with European buyers at this year’s Fruit Attraction 2022. This follows after face to face talks were halted over the past two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic and travel restrictions, says Richard Salazar, executive director of Ecuador’s Banana Marketing and Export Association (Acorbanec).
Richard Salazar, is ready for talks at Fruit Attraction 2022
“We are going to speak to retailers and wholesalers to negotiate better prices. Normally we conduct the conversations in October, Madrid is perfect for us in terms of the date. We will discuss the contracts for next year. October is also the peak period of our exports. Normally buyers from Russia, Germany, etc. everybody goes there. For us it is important to try to find other clients, but the conversation with retailers about the Aldi offer is key. They committed to pay the Fairtade price, in general Europe is thinking to pay more for our fruit. For other supermarkets it’s important that they also pay a decent price for our high quality bananas. Our cost is high right now, our exports for half the year is 8% lower due to lower production. The Russia Ukraine war complicated things. The high prices of shipping, input costs in general as well as inflation drives up the cost of production and is an issue for us all,” explains Salazar.
Acorbanec together with ProEcuador will have 25 exporting companies that will show the best of Ecuadorian fruit to the world at their 320 m2 stand at Fruit Attraction. The space will allow them to hold meetings with different international buyers and supermarket chains.
"Ecuador complies with a living wage for banana workers established in the constitution, we comply with the standards required by the European Union, we also have traceability systems and organic bananas are gaining ground every day. The production and export of bananas in Ecuador constitutes a powerful source of employment and therefore a strong socioeconomic weight, since it generates around 275,000 jobs and some 400,000 people depend on this activity,” Salazar concluded.
For more information:
Richard Salazar
Acorbanec
Tel. +593 42136348
Email: rsalazar@acorbanec.com
www.acorbanec.com