The Banana Marketing and Export Association (Acorbanec) stated that 29.44% of the more than 213 million boxes that Ecuador exported between January and July 2019 were sent to the European Union (EU); 20.85% to Russia; 14.17% to the Middle East; 10.93% to the United States; and 8.52% to East Asia and other markets.
Richard Salazar, representative of Acorbanec, said that banana exports to the EU were decreased by 12.84% during the first seven months of the year because countries like Italy, Germany, Belgium, and Poland reduced their purchases as other Central American exporting countries, such as Guatemala, lowered their average prices by $ 0.50 per box of exported bananas.
The Association of Banana Exporters of Ecuador (AEBE) reported that Asia is currently becoming an important player for Ecuadorian bananas, especially due to exports to China, which last July increased by 110.44%.
In addition, AEBE reported that the Middle East block had established itself as the third destination for Ecuadorian banana shipments with a participation of 14.17%, i.e. 9.90% more than in the same period of 2018.
This is due to the increased purchase of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Iraq. "This market has absorbed the fruit that could not be placed in the European Union," stated Acorbanec.
