When the process of regularization of banana and plantain crops started last year, the Ecuadorian authorities sought to confirm the hectares planted. Previous calculations for banana sectors indicated that in the country there could be between 35,000 and 40,000 hectares planted informally, that is, they were not registered and registered with the Ministry of Agriculture.
One year after that process, Ministry data shows that they have regularized 6,580.08 hectares. That would mean that a significant hectarage still remains without entering the official records. Last year, prior to the regularization process, it was estimated that 176,000 hectares were formally registered in Guayas, Los Ríos, El Oro, Cotopaxi, Manabí, Esmeraldas and other provinces.
By decree, the current government decided to extend the deadline for farm owners to formally register their properties with the Ministry of Agriculture for one more year. The initial term expired in August.
Source: ecuadortimes.net