The Canary Islands banana sector has asked the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to send the full text and schedule of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with Ecuador. It also calls for public clarification of the real scope of the agreement.
The request has been made in response to producers' concerns regarding the possibility of the pact including instruments favoring imported bananas, the main competitor of Canary bananas. The sector's concerns have been raised by Minister Luis Planas' declaration, who, in the official note, underlined that "Ecuador has great potential to increase its agri-food production," opening up economic and social opportunities for the country. This emphasis on the foreseeable increase in Ecuadorian supply raises fears of negative effects on the marketing of domestic fruit, given the different conditions and requirements that apply to EU productions and those from third countries such as Ecuador.
Sector's demands
Faced with this scenario, Canary Islands producers demand the following:
- Transparency. Publication of the full text of the MoU, with its technical annexes, the planned instruments, and the governance of the agreement.
- Adherence to the same rules. That any support or cooperation be linked to verifiable and equivalent compliance with the social, labor, environmental, and phytosanitary standards that apply to EU productions.
- Non-distortion clause. Guarantee that imported bananas won't benefit from any support measures that could cause the displacement of Canary Island bananas.
- Policy coherence. Alignment of the MoU with the European objectives of sustainability and fair competition, avoiding situations of social or environmental dumping.
Canary producers believe that a monitoring mechanism could be established through the creation of a working group with the sector's participation. That group would be responsible for assessing the impact on prices, volumes, and competition conditions, with regular public reports. "We are not putting international cooperation in question, but we need to ensure that any support from our government does not translate into new competitive advantages for imported bananas, given the much more demanding social and environmental costs and obligations of European productions," says the sector.
According to the Ministry itself, the Memorandum foresees technical cooperation, the development of agricultural insurance and risk management systems, exchange of knowledge on production models, the management of plant and animal genetic resources, organic certifications, a sustainable use of fertilizers and pesticides, efficient water management and irrigation, greater support to associations, and the promotion of agri-food products.
Trade and impact in Spain
In this context, it is key to analyze the trade and impact figures that reflect the current situation of banana imports in Spain and the European Union.
Ecuador-Spain volume (2023): Spain imported 39,754 tons of banana/plantain (HS 0803) from Ecuador worth US$37.4 million, according to UN Comtrade WITS.
Ecuador's position in the EU (2024): Ecuador was the EU's largest banana supplier, with 1,667,794 tons, which represented approximately 28% of the total EU-27 supply (5,992,787 tons), according to Agriculture and Rural Development data.
Prices and competitiveness: In 2024, unit entry values for Latin American bananas stood at the lowest level in the EU market. Ecuador recorded 0.69 €/kg, while Guatemala and Panama reached 0.60 €/kg and Colombia 0.61 €/kg, according to Agriculture and Rural Development. These values have remained unchanged for more than a decade, putting pressure on the prices of the European productions and facilitating promotions that seek to replace Plátano de Canarias on the shelves.
The Canary banana sector, therefore, insisted on the need for a framework of international cooperation that won't generate inequalities and will guarantee fair competitive conditions for all producers.
For more information:
Nuria Moreno
Plátano de Canarias
Tel.: +34 689100847
[email protected]
https://platanodecanarias.es
