Osmar Benítez, the Executive President of the Dominican Agribusiness Board (JAD), boldly stated that 90% of the Workforce in banana cultivation consists of unskilled labour. This concerning trend also plagues other agricultural sectors. During the inaugural "Let's Talk About Innovation" conference, he emphasized the urgent need for change, revealing that unskilled labour accounts for 80% of plantain, dairy farming, and coffee cultivation workers. For crops like rice, tobacco, and potatoes, the rates of unskilled labour range from 60% to 80%.

Prefect Johnny Terán is leading the "Siembra Hartón" agricultural program, an initiative to enhance rural productivity in Los Ríos by distributing 222,000 plantain plants, sufficient to cover 200 hectares of farmland. This ambitious project, managed by the Directorate of Agricultural Management, benefits over 200 small and medium-sized producers organized into 50 farming associations. The Prefecture is investing $178,440 to strengthen the agricultural sector and improve living conditions in rural areas.

In a significant development within the global container shipping industry, two major players—Denmark's Maersk A/S and Germany's Hapag-Lloyd AG—will begin operational collaboration, known as Gemini Cooperation, on February 1. Both companies have a strong presence in India. Following the announcement of Gemini Cooperation in January 2024, Hapag-Lloyd exited THE Alliance. In January 2023, Maersk and MSC announced that the 2M alliance would commence in January 2025.

In St. Petersburg, banana prices during week 05 were set at approximately USD 19.70 per box CIF on Monday and Tuesday. By Friday, these prices surged to USD 20.70-21.20, influenced by brand, volume, and packaging. This increase was a direct result of robust demand. During this timeframe, around 1.41 million boxes were unloaded, with traders expecting around 2.580 million boxes for week 06. The exchange rate of the USD stood at 98.01 RUB. Furthermore, as reported by Rosstat, inflation in the Russian Federation has consistently reached 1.14% since the start of the year. Prices in the Mediterranean for the Ecuadorean bananas were mainly around USD 15.0-16.0 per box CIF depending on the brand, volume, weight and packing, except Algeria, where prices kept at high levels as the past week, at around USD 25.00 per box CIF due to the low volumes shipped mainly due to the ban on importing Ecuadorean bananas not replaced by other producing countries short on volumes at least until March. Should Algeria and Ecuador not reach a diplomatic settlement , the Algerian domestic market is expected to remain very hot, with prices that might go higher than the actual levels, particularly during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. This year, it starts on the evening of Friday, February 28th, lasting 30 days and ending at sundown on Saturday, March 29. The Mersin Free Zone prices for re-exported bananas of Ecuadorean origin were USD 15.50-17.0 per box, depending on brand, volume, weight, and packing. Central American bananas were sold at around USD 2.0 per box lower.

The Marín docks have successfully reestablished fruit imports, primarily melons and mangoes, just four months after reviving a service lost in 2019. Container traffic has surged by 7%, with an impressive monthly average of over 4,000 containers. Following a significant decline in fruit traffic in late 2019 that affected overall activity, the Port of Marín has firmly re-entered the maritime fruit transport circuit. As of last September, the new weekly line connecting Natal in Brazil with Marín, Rotterdam, and Dover is thriving.

Maersk is excited to announce the expansion of its maritime connections between Europe, Central America, and the United States, with new calls in Philadelphia and Port Everglades. The innovative 'TA5' service, set to launch in February, promises to provide a reliable and efficient shipping solution. This new service establishes a vital link between Northern Europe and Philadelphia, utilizing the westbound route of Hapag-Lloyd's established 'CES' service.

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The Israeli carrier ZIM is now part of "The Move to -15°C" campaign, aligning itself with industry leaders such as Maersk, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd, Cosco, and DP World. This initiative aims to raise the standard temperature for frozen products from -18°C to -15°C, reducing energy consumption. ZIM emphasises that this movement aligns perfectly with its vision of sustainable shipping, showcasing its fleet with advanced reefer containers and real-time temperature monitoring systems.

Japan Marine United (JMU) announced the delivery of the methanol-ready, 12,800 TEU container ship, MAERSK EUNAPOLIS, on January 17, 2025. This vessel, built at JMU's Kure Shipyard in Hiroshima Prefecture, is the fourth in a series of five large container ships of the same capacity. The MAERSK EUNAPOLIS features a Methanol Ready specification to support future use of next-generation fuels and has received the DNV Fuel Ready Notation.

APM Terminals Callao, operator of the Multipurpose North Terminal, has noted stability in the share of fruit and refrigerated cargo, even as the overall market has declined in recent years. However, expectations for 2025 are more optimistic due to recent agreements to revive this sector. Peru signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Hong Kong at the end of last year. It established new phytosanitary protocols with the People's Republic of China, enhancing existing trade agreements.

Plátano de Canarias and Ausolan have renewed their collaboration to continue promoting healthy eating and consuming national products from childhood. Thanks to this agreement, more than 1,700 schools will receive Canary Islands bananas weekly, a food that stands out for its quality, unique flavour, and high social and environmental sustainability standards.

During week 4, approximately 1.34 million boxes of bananas were discharged in St. Petersburg, and due to a surge in demand, prices rose compared to the past week. Traders were demanding about USD 20.45 per box CIF. While some sales were made at lower prices, ranging from USD 19.40 to USD 19.90 per box CIF, it is essential to note that sales as low as USD 17.40 per box CIF also occurred. Prices were determined by brand, quality, volume, and packaging. Traders anticipated around 1.86 million boxes to be discharged in the upcoming week. Additionally, the exchange rate stands at 99.10 RUB, reflecting a positive shift for the local currency. Selling prices for Ecuadorian bananas in the Mediterranean ranged from approximately USD 14.00 to USD 16.00 per box CIF , depending on the brand, volume, packing, and weight. However, in Algeria, prices were as high as USD 25.00 per box CIF. In Libya, Central American bananas were sold for around USD 15.0 per box, CIF. In the Mersin Free Zone, Ecuadorian bananas re-exported to neighbouring countries were priced between USD 14.00 and USD 17.00 per box, depending on brand, weight, volume, and packing. Central American bananas in this zone were sold for approximately USD 11.00 to USD 13.00 per box. The exchange rate was 35.63 TL to 1 USD.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Colombia is now the third-largest banana exporter in the world, surpassing the Philippines. Last year, Colombia exported 2.31 million metric tons (MMT) of bananas, 29,000 metric tons more than the Philippines' 2.28 MMT.

Thenor Velásquez, the manager of the Association of Banana Producers of Honduras, reported on February 21 that banana production has significantly declined due to reductions in production areas and consecutive floods—currently, the harvest yields between 2,500 and 2,800 boxes per hectare. "This reduction has led to a drastic increase in market prices, with bananas now costing up to three lempiras each, compared to three bananas for one lempira previously," he stated.

This winter, the Dalian Container Terminal (DCT) received its first shipment of imported cherries from Chile, which arrived aboard the refrigerated vessel Baltic Performer. This marks the first time cherries have been imported directly by ship to this port in northeastern China. The direct route with specialised reefer ships shortens the journey by about a week compared to traditional routes that involve stops.