Quito, Ecuador - The PremioeXpor 2024 gala, organized by the Ecuadorian Federation of Exporters (Fedexpor), was held on September 19. During the ceremony, awards were given to companies that during the last year stood out for their performance in international sales, diversification of commercial destinations and product portfolio, in addition to demonstrating the highest standards of certifications, leading processes of sustainability, innovation, safety, talent development and contribution to the community.

REYBANPAC, Ecuador's leading banana producer and second-largest exporter, has recently published its biennial sustainability report for 2022 and 2023. This is the first report under the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standard. The new publication details the good environmental and social practices the company implemented under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during this period.

Juan Carlos Duarte, General Manager of Tecbaco, shares the company’s achievements and challenges in 2024. Despite lower performance compared to the previous year, Tecbaco exported 9.7 million boxes of bananas, with 63% conventional bananas and 37% organic, to various international destinations. Tecbaco expects to close in 2024 with a net profit of approximately $20 billion and export around 20 million boxes of bananas.

Dole Plc year-long 125th Banana-Versary celebration continues with another strategy centred on the beloved fruit. Dole is searching for 125 banana-loving runners in and around Charlotte, North Carolina, to participate in one of three events at the 2024 Novant Health Charlotte Marathon on November 16. “Dole’s partnership with the Charlotte Marathon simply reinforces what marathoners and other runners everywhere have known for years: Bananas are nature’s perfect pre-, during-, and post-race recovery food,” said William Goldfield, Director of Corporate Communications.

Canarian producers have stopped sending bananas to the market after five weeks of mismatches between supply and demand to "stabilise farms and avoid debt," according to Asprocan. The Association of Canary Banana Producers Organizations (Asprocan) has stated that "producers do not have the capacity to influence the retail price" and has pointed to the "current market situation" as the reason why the price of Canary Banana does not decrease despite lower demand.

In St. Petersburg, banana selling prices fluctuated significantly throughout the week. On Monday, prices ranged from USD 11.60 to 13.80 per box CIF. By Wednesday, prices stabilized around USD 13.80. On Thursday, prices increased to approximately USD 14.35 to 15.40 per box CIF. Finally, on Friday, prices reached USD 17.10 per box CIF. Prices were according to brand, volume, quality, and weight. According to local traders, the considerable price increase was attributed to a delay in the arrival of a container vessel at the Baltic port. The expected arrival date was shifted from September 3 to September 11, which caused a relative shortage of fruit. The exchange rate was 1 USD = 91.45 RUB. Prices in the Mediterranean for Ecuadorean bananas ranged from USD 16.0 to USD 19.0 per box CIF, depending on brand, volume, packing, and weight. In Libya, the CIF price for Ecuadorean bananas was around USD 22.0 per box. According to local traders, prices were very high due to limited volumes. In Algeria, where narcotics were found in containers at Gazahouet in bananas shipped from Ecuador, selling prices were reported to be at very high levels. Due to the findings, importers might have rejected many containers still in transit for fear of drug contamination, thus creating a severe shortage of bananas in the market.

A few days ago, in the Peruvian region of Piura, the banana variety known as GAL, resistant to the ‘Fusarium’ TR4 fungus, developed by Raham Meristem from Israel, was presented. The fungus, which is deadly to banana plantations, has been affecting banana plantations, especially in northern Peru. Thanks to the Israeli company Raham Meristem, the arrival of the seeds of this new variety in our country was made possible.

Before the Red Sea crisis, there was an oversupply of shipping containers. However, since the crisis began, voyages from Asia to the US and European markets have been extended, transforming the oversupply into a shortage. This year, it is expected to record one of the highest productions of containers, with manufacturers reporting that it will be booked entirely by October. Chinese manufacturers produced about 850,000 TEUs of dry and reefer containers in July alone.

MSC has solidified its commitment to sustainable maritime operations by commissioning Zhoushan Changhong International Shipbuilding to construct a fleet of twelve 19,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel containerships. This new contract continues MSC's strategic partnership with the Chinese shipyard after successfully commissioning twenty LNG-powered vessels of varying capacities.

Through a technical cooperation agreement between the national government and the banana sector, awareness workshops and training sessions were conducted, and 50 biosecurity kits were distributed. These kits consisted of four litres of quaternary ammonium, 500 grams of Biologicals—Trichoderma sp, a 50-kilo bag of Edaphic Fertilizer, and two 50-kilogram bags of composted organic matter.

Antes de la crisis del Mar Rojo, había un exceso de oferta de contenedores. Sin embargo, desde que comenzó la crisis, los viajes desde Asia a los mercados de Estados Unidos y Europa se han prolongado, pasando del exceso de oferta a la escasez. Este año, se espera que registre una de las mayores producciones de contenedores, y los fabricantes informan que estarán reservados en su totalidad para octubre.

Citronex, the Polish banana importing powerhouse, is embarking on an ambitious expansion in South America with a comprehensive multi-year strategy. Currently boasting five state-of-the-art banana ripening facilities across Romania, Poland, and Hungary, Citronex is set to surpass the import milestone of 18 million boxes this year alone. The company's flagship Yellow brand sources premium bananas from esteemed Ecuador, Colombia, Guatemala, and Costa Rica producers.

As part of the 'Peru 2M: Know the fertility of your soil' campaign, the National Institute of Agrarian Innovation (INIA) has transferred methodologies and protocols for correct sampling and analysis of soil quality in organic banana crops. This initiative is aimed at the integral role of producers in the Santa Ana sector in the district of La Huaca, province of Paita, Piura region.

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In St. Petersburg, banana prices dropped considerably during the week and fluctuated between USD 10.55 and USD 11.65 per box CIF. These prices were contingent upon factors such as brand, quality, volume, and packaging. The lack of robust demand negatively impacted sales. During week 34, approximately 1.284 million boxes were discharged, and around 1.141 million boxes are projected to be discharged in week 35. The prevailing exchange rate was 1 USD = 91.29 RUB. According to Rosstat, the State Statistics Service, the year-on-year inflation rate stood at 9.04%. In the Mediterranean, Ecuadorean bananas were priced between USD 16.0 and 18.0 per box, CIF with the cost varying depending on brand, volume, region, and quantity. In Libya, Ecuadorean bananas were priced around USD 21.0-22.0 per box CIF, while Mexican bananas were sold at approximately USD 20.0 per box CIF. In the Mersin Free Zone, re-exported bananas of Ecuadorean origin were priced between USD 15.0 and USD 18.0 per box, depending on brand, volume, packing, and weight.