Cocoa growers invest $6 million a year to combat container contamination in ports, but ask the government for “greater commitment”

The high risk of contamination of containers worries the national cocoa sector, which through the Association of Cocoa Exporters (Anecacao) formally asked the Government for a greater commitment and support for the work of control and protection of those who work throughout this chain, with actions that help combat insecurity, cargo theft and container contamination that mostly occur in the country’s ports.

The union spoke through a statement issued this Friday, December 23, in which it assured that the cocoa sector privately invests around $6 million annually to solve these problems. He argued that these events harm Ecuadorian companies that have a high and recognized record of honor and work, affecting relations with their clients abroad, complicating the fluidity of cocoa businesses with multiple destinations.

“They asked me to leave $50,000 in my house in exchange for contaminating a container,” says a former port worker

“With a constant increase in logistics costs, insecurity at all stages of the production chain, these are situations that highly affect the competitiveness of the sector and that unfortunately we do not see solutions in this regard,” lamented the union, which assured that the export sector in In general, it is currently exposed to discredit due to the high risk of container contamination.

The sector exports approximately 35,000 metric tons of cocoa and its derivatives monthly, generating more than one billion dollars in favor of the Ecuadorian economy.

“Our growth range in recent years has always been on the rise, with the constant challenge as a private sector to increase the percentage of growth each year. A sector that works with more than 120,000 producers and directly and indirectly benefits 400,000 people,” the union highlighted in its statement, in which it made itself available to add and carry out an adequate security strategy. (YO)