Production costs and the Fusarium Race 4 bring together ministers from banana countries

Analyze and resolve a joint position regarding the high costs of banana production and define strategies to combat Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. Cubense Raza 4 tropical (Foc R4T) in the region, are the issues that the ministers of Agriculture of the region will address on January 12.

Producers support plan against Fusarium race 4 in Ecuador

This, after the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) of Ecuador, Pedro Alava summon his Latin American counterparts from the main banana and other musaceae exporting countries to the meeting. The ministers of Guatemala, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Panama and Costa Rica, which will meet from 10:00 virtually.

According to the MAG, Álava indicated that it is necessary to have a common position regarding production costs, caused among other reasons by the rise outside the inflationary rhythm of the value of packaging materials, fertilizers and more inputs.

He stated that this affects producers, exporters and the respective fruit-producing nations, while prices do not respond to that reality or observe the principle of shared responsibility, causing economic losses to thousands of peasants and workers, who depend on the activity.

Government allocated $ 400 million for a plan against Fusarium race 4, for the next 5 years

He added that a joint position of the musaceae producing countries will strengthen the concepts of solidarity and commitment, in order to achieve a better deal for the sector.

Meanwhile, internally, last Monday the producers of the Association of Organic Agricultural Production of Pasaje (Asopaop), San Miguel de Brasil, Asoguabo, Fincas de El Oro and others showed their support for the plan against the Fusarium race 4, presented on November 26 by the Regime.

This support was also joined by the La Guayas Agricultural Association, the Production and Life Agricultural Production Association, the Oro Verde Cooperative, Asoproabacao, Tierra Fértil, Asoprobadi, the El Checo Banana Workers Association and representatives of small producers.

The plan has a budget of $ 400 million for the next five years, according to the Ecuadorian Banana and Banana Cluster, which calculated that the economic losses that the presence of this pest would have in Ecuador are estimated at $ 26 million per week.

With the plan, it is foreseen, in case the plague -which has already been detected in Colombia and Peru- arrives in the country, the activation of the 1800 AGRO-00 telephone line, the Agro-mobile applications and the single line of the ECU911, between other measures.