The Association of Banana Growers of Magdalena and La Guajira (ASBAMA) has issued an urgent call to the National Government and local authorities to face the blockades that have been affecting the municipality of Zona Bananera, in the department of Magdalena, for several days.
"These blockades put at risk the workers' integrity, hinder the community's mobility, and have seriously affected the banana's marketing logistical operation," ASBAMA stated.
The situation has halted the transit of vehicles transporting containers of fruit for export, compromising the quality of the product and generating significant economic losses. "The workers haven't been able to reach the farms, which interrupts agricultural work and compromises compliance with international trade commitments," warned ASBAMA.
This crisis is generating cost overruns that affect the competitiveness of Colombian bananas in global markets at a critical time for maintaining and strengthening their export position, they added.
ASBAMA urged the authorities to take "immediate measures to guarantee the reestablishment of public order, free mobility, and security in the area." More than 14,000 direct jobs and hundreds of families are at risk if the situation is not resolved promptly, the association stressed.
For more information:
Asbama
www.asbama.com