The plantain in its different types, barraganete, dominico and hartón, stood out on a wide horizon towards successful exportation, meeting the increasing demand of the lively Latino population in various parts of the world, especially in the United States, the European Union, Chile with a large migratory presence in an endless increase, complemented by the flavors of the native inhabitants who continue to learn how to consume it with pleasure, not only in its freshly cooked state, but also through elaborate products such as chifles, tostitos, patacones, tortillas, soups and more, in seductive presentations. National consumption is now also experiencing significant growth in all the provinces of Ecuador, adding to other nations where it has acquired the category of fundamental to the food security of the people.

In the last six years, five projects to reform the Banana Law passed through the Assembly. None progressed

According to ongoing research, the planted area is estimated at 145,000 hectares (INEC 2020), with Manabí being the one with the greatest presence and concentration in El Carmen Canton (50,000 hectares), a means of livelihood for thousands of peasants with small capacity land (1 to 5 hectares), whose eponymous head is called the world capital of barraganete by the proud Manabites, the favorite variety of importers, a criterion based on the fact that 60% of exports come from that jurisdiction, which amounted to 140 million dollars in 2021, which ranked the country in the second or third place in the global offer.

Weather and high demand in destinations, due to the cold season, favored bananas in January with 5.41% higher exports

We had the opportunity to help Dominican investors interested in planting and exporting the national barraganeta to serve from their supermarkets the needs of the Latin American population estimated at 10 million people in parts of New York, New Jersey and Florida alone, with a nostalgic taste for musacea, and they told us that they would modest publicity was enough to cause a surge in demand that would require the technical production of the 30,000 hectares planted in the lands of the Santa Elena Peninsula, whose benefits attracted them with admiration. It should be noted that the Dominican Republic is an important supplier of bananas, but they preferred the Ecuadorian product. At that time, they gave up their investment, citing insecurity in the country, especially in the land law that was just being processed in the National Assembly.

The first study of German retailers highlights the payment of daily wages in banana production companies in Ecuador

It happens that the planted area is in great danger due to the uncontrolled progress of a bacterial disease known as moko, with symptoms similar to Fusarium banana, which has infected almost all the crops in El Carmen and the surrounding areas, which requires a national mobilization to save them. There are easy-to-use biostimulants produced in Ecuador that are not harmful to the environment and are recommended for controlling this scourge. As if that wasn’t enough, revealing documentaries were watched on the horrific impact of intense and prolonged rains accompanied by hurricane-force winds that toppled established plantations ready for harvest, causing a clear reduction in export and local supply for a city that has no substitute for the delicious banana. (OR)