Ecuador is a priviledged country because it has the ideal conditions for banana growing. The average temperature is lower than that in the Caribbean and there is a relatively dry season, so the impact of plagues is minor and with that, the number of necessary sprayings to maintain the quality of the fruit is reduced. Due to its location in the center of the world, Ecuador has an optimal luminosity for farming and as an additional advantage the country doesn't have any physical phenomena such as hurricanes, tropical cyclones or blizzards.

Characteristics and Benefits of the Product

Banana is specially wanted by sportsmen and ideal for children's nutrition because it is a source of potasium, calcium, iron, folic acid, phosphorus, and vitamins A, B, C, E and B6. However, its growing demands special weather and soil conditions to obtain a high quality fruit.

Economic Importance

It's not a coincidence that 30% of the world's banana supply comes from Ecuador. The weather, soil fertility and skilled labor force are some of the main factors that make our country the biggest banana exporter in the world. For over 100 years, farmers have exported the highest quality fruit, wanted by consumers of the most demanding markets, and that constitutes an element of the diet of millions of people. Banana represents 10% of Ecuador's total exports. For several decades it has maintained its position as the second biggest exporting item of the country, making it the main non-oil export product.

Environmental and Social Impact

Banana-related activities generate employment and income for two million people who are involved in the different stages of its value chain. Ecuador has regulations and permanent controls to assure the respect of labor laws for banana producers and workers. The soil were banana is planted has excellent texture, among other characteristics, it is very permeable, therefore erosion is almost inexistent. Unlike other countries, it doesn't need a heavy use of fertilizers which causes banana plantations to have a minimal impact on nature.

Sector Introduction Facts of Interest

Statistic Information

0803001200Bocadillo, Manzano or Baby Banana

Banana or plantain, Cavendish Valery type, fresh.

The rest (red banana included).

2,135,855.77 5,480,197.67 96.1

0.1

3.8

7,146.48

214,538.68

3,652.19

27,123.81

2,166,631.77 5,701,882.83

98.60.2

1.3

100.0 100.0

08030013000803001900TOTALES

YEAR 2011 - THOUSANDS USDBANANA EXPORTS BY TARIFF

DESCRIPTIONTARIFF NANDINA

FOBVALUE

PARTFOB TM PART

TM

The banana-planted area is estimated to be 214.000 hectares, distributed in the provinces of: Esmeraldas, Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Bolivar, Los Ríos, Guayas, Manabí, Cañar, Azuay y El Oro, most of then with technified planta-tions and monitored certifications of international quality standards such as ISO, HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points), Rainforest Alliance, GLOBALGAP, among others.

Production, DestinyMarkets

Source: Central Bank of Ecuador.

Source: Banco Central del Ecuador.