Colombian banana producers, headed by the Association of Colombian Banana Growers (Augura) and the Association of Banana Growers of Magdalena and La Guajira, were present in Berlin, Germany, at the Fruit Logistica fair seeking joint solutions to address the price crisis facing the sector. A few days ago, the banana guilds warned about the possibility of a drop in the price paid per box exported to the European Union, as supermarkets in this area allegedly requested a reduction of 1.30 euros. At the time, Augura assured this newspaper that the decrease of 1.30 euros would mean a loss of US$60 million per year for Colombia alone if the measure were applied. For this reason, the representatives of the banana growers met within the framework of this fair to express that one of the significant limitations identified in the market is "overlooking" the increase in inflation, increases in agricultural inputs, and security issues, among others. Thus, Emerson Aguirre Medina, president of Augura, said, "This event is the scenario where we reiterate the call to all actors in the chain to recognize the need for balance and commitment among all parties, not only on the side of workers and producers".

According to the union leader, the banana sector has made continuous efforts to adjust to the demands of European consumers and ensure compliance with stringent quality standards. Therefore, the associations "make a call" to the shared responsibility among all members of the production chain to recognize a fair price for Colombian fruit and "reiterate the commitment of national producers with social, environmental and labour sustainability within the activity". José Francisco Zúñiga, president of Asbama, said, "our purpose in this event is to show how Colombian banana producers cannot meet the requirements of the certifications demanded by international markets alone; requirements that involve great economic efforts that are not reflected in the price set by retailers (retail chains) for the fruit".

The guilds highlighted that during the event's inauguration, it was detailed that Germany is the fourth largest buyer of Colombian agricultural exports, whose value was estimated at US$420.8 million from January to November 2022. "This corresponds to an increase of 16% compared to 2021. Of this total, bananas rank second in total agricultural exports with US$88.7 million.

This event is the scenario where, as an industry and a fundamental part of the Colombian countryside, we reiterate the call to all actors in the chain to recognize the need for balance and commitment among all parties," concluded the president of Augura.