On February 16, 2024, Russia granted export rights to five Ecuadorian enterprises for shipping bananas. These rights come with guarantees from the competent authorities in Ecuador, as confirmed by Sergei Dankvert, the head of Rosselkhoznadzor, during an interview on Rossiya-24.

The FRUIT LOGISTICA, the world’s premier fruit and vegetable industry show, took place from February 7 to 9 in Berlin-Germany and achieved remarkable results despite the challenges posed by the global marketplace. Visitor Growth: Over 66,000 visitors participated in the event, along with 24,000-plus exhibitor staff and 450 media representatives. The trade fair showcased 2,770 exhibitors and their innovations.

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While Morocco is not a major player in banana production or export, locally grown bananas still dominate the Moroccan market. According to a report by EastFruit, a marketing statistics website, the export value of Moroccan bananas, including plantains, is estimated at $31,000. In 2023, Morocco experienced a significant slump in banana imports, but it managed to restore its banana imports after a challenging year in 2022.

In 1899, three Sicilian brothers and their brother-in-law in New Orleans combined their life savings and began importing bananas from Honduras to introduce Americans to an exotic new fruit from South America. Little did Joseph, Felix, Lucca Vaccaro, and Salvador D’Antoni know that they were laying the foundation for one of the world’s largest providers of fresh fruits and vegetables. This venture would eventually become Standard Fruit, a crucial part of Dole Food Co., and the iconic Dole banana.

Rebecca König, Chiquita’s Germany-based marketing manager, took center stage at Fruit Logistica 2024, where she delved into both vibrant campaigns and the critical topic of banana sustainability. The Cavendish, the world’s leading banana variety, faces a dual threat from diseases and environmental challenges worldwide. In response, Chiquita has launched the groundbreaking Yelloway initiative.

Aldi, the German supermarket chain, has ignited a banana price war by slashing the cost of this beloved fruit. The price reduction is a whopping 31%, dropping from €1.45 per kilo to just €0.99 per kilo. This move is part of what’s being called the “banana war”, which pits Canarian banana producers against major distribution chains. While Aldi’s bananas originate from countries like Colombia, Ecuador, and Costa Rica, Canarian producers have been grappling with their own challenges.

Cameroon's banana exports reached 22,721 tons in January 2024, a 25.5% increase from the 18,101 tons shipped to the global market in January 2023. According to Cameroon Banana Association (Assobacam) data, all three leading producers contributed to this outstanding sector performance. In detail, Plantations du Haut Penja (PHP), a subsidiary of Compagnie fruitière de Marseille, exported 16,875 tons of bananas in the first month of 2024, up 17.9% from the 14,314 tons shipped in January 2023.

Cool Carriers informed that starting from Week 11, will resume the regular 21-day direct transit from Guayaquil/Puerto Bolivar to St. Petersburg. “This change reflects our unwavering commitment to providing you with excellent service.” To ensure a smooth transition, we will implement this change gradually, not to skip a loading week; for example, during Weeks 8 to 10, the contract volume will be reduced by 25%. Please take note of the following itineraries for the upcoming weeks:

At Berlin’s Fruit Logistica, Lidl unveiled its initial achievements and insights on actively bridging wage disparities through the “Living Wage Banana” initiative. As a fresh discounter, Lidl became the first food retailer to bridge the wage gap, ensuring living wages for 10,000 workers on banana farms in Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic - all major banana-producing countries. In 2022, Lidl embarked on this project in partnership with FLOCERT, a global fair trade certification company, and The Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH), a non-profit organization.

Banana selling prices in St. Petersburg were USD21.50-22.60 per box CIF according to brand, quality, and packing. Nearly 1.6 million boxes were discharged in week 6, and around 1.89 million are expected for week 7. According to industry sources, there were around 300 FEUs with bananas at the St Petersburg port awaiting delivery by Friday, and more might pile up in the coming days due to the ban on 5 Ecuadorian banana exporting companies. Prices might increase due to the lower volumes of bananas available in the retail system. Prices in the Mediterranean for Ecuadorian bananas, depending on brand, volume, region, and packing, were USD 16.00-18.00 per box CIF. They were slightly higher in Libya, with Ecuadorian bananas sold at USD 17.00-18.00 per box  CIF and bananas from Central America at around USD 16.00 per box CIF. Prices in the Mersin Free Zone were around USD 16.50-17.50 per box for the re-exported bananas of Ecuadorian origin.

According to the Russian news agency Interfax, the Far Eastern Shipping Company (FESCO), the Vladivostok-based shipping and logistics company, one of the largest in the Russian Federation offers Russian importers to diversify their import sources after the ban imposed on five exporting companies from the Andinian country Andrei Severilov, the company’s chairman, informed reporters that they had communicated their readiness to the Russian Agriculture Ministry and all major retail chains.

The National Assembly of Ecuador, the country's unicameral legislature, on February 7 ratified a free trade agreement between the Andean nation and China. "Promoting the expansion and diversification of trade between Ecuador and China, eliminating trade barriers and facilitating the cross-border circulation of goods are the goals of the free trade agreement approved by the National Assembly," the legislature said in a statement.

Standard Fruit Company, a subsidiary of Dole, has announced the closure of two of its banana farms, leading to the dismissal of 111 employees. The company attributes this decision to the exchange rate policy, which it claims is adversely affecting the competitiveness of its operations. Juan Carlos Rojas, the Legal Director of the company, said that the closure of the Roxana and Parismina farms, both situated in Guápiles, within the canton of Pococí.

AP Moller-Maersk, the Danish shipping and logistics conglomerate, has set a new industry precedent by validating its decarbonisation targets. These targets align with the Paris Agreement’s objective to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. The company’s goals have been verified by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), a globally recognized authority for assessing corporate climate targets.