{"id":186880,"date":"2025-10-03T22:14:48","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T20:14:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/efecomunica.efe.com\/?p=186880"},"modified":"2025-10-03T22:36:21","modified_gmt":"2025-10-03T20:36:21","slug":"ecuador-presses-europe-to-back-sustainable-drug-free-bananas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/efecomunica.efe.com\/en\/ecuador-presses-europe-to-back-sustainable-drug-free-bananas\/","title":{"rendered":"Ecuador presses Europe to back sustainable, drug-free bananas"},"content":{"rendered":"

Madrid, Oct 3 (EFE).\u2013<\/strong> Ecuador, the world\u2019s top banana exporter<\/strong>, is urging European markets to take responsibility in eradicating drug trafficking linked to banana shipments<\/strong> and ensure that prices reflect producing countries\u2019 efforts in safety, social standards, and sustainability<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

At the Fruit Attraction trade fair<\/strong> in Madrid, the Association of Ecuadorian Banana Exporters (AEBE<\/strong>) outlined producers\u2019 initiatives to meet European Union standards while addressing criminal threats.<\/p>\n

Shared responsibility against trafficking<\/h2>\n

\u201cSixty-six percent of Ecuador\u2019s export cargo is bananas, and 30% goes to the EU,<\/strong>\u201d said Jos\u00e9 Antonio Hidalgo<\/strong>, AEBE\u2019s executive director and coordinator of Ecuador\u2019s Banana and Plantain Cluster.<\/p>\n

He stressed the importance of tackling trafficking together:<\/p>\n

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\u201cThis challenge is not of a single country or sector, but a transnational problem we must address together. Only through international cooperation and transparency in our value chains can we strengthen the sustainability of bananas.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"Handout
Handout photo from the Ecuadorian Banana Exporters Association showing members of the Ecuadorian delegation at the Fruit Attraction international fruit fair inaugurating their pavilion, Tuesday in Madrid, Spain. EFE\/Ecuadorian Banana Exporters Association<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hidalgo explained that all actors in the supply chain\u2014retailers, shipping companies and others\u2014must be involved in this shared security project<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

$100 million a year for security<\/h2>\n

According to Hidalgo, Ecuador\u2019s banana sector invests $100 million annually in security measures<\/strong>, including a \u201cSafe Farms\u201d protocol<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Since 2023, all containers at Ecuadorian ports have been scanned before shipment<\/strong>, while a secure cargo initiative with the EU<\/strong> is being rolled out.<\/p>\n

He cited early successes: seizures of drugs hidden in Ecuadorian shipments dropped from 121 tons in Antwerp (2023) to 44 tons in 2024<\/strong>, and from 12 tons to 8 tons in Rotterdam<\/strong> during the same period.<\/p>\n

Hidalgo also emphasized the need for technical cooperation with Spanish ports<\/strong>, which are critical entry and transit hubs for Ecuadorian bananas.<\/p>\n

Fair prices for fair wages<\/h2>\n

Beyond security, Hidalgo underlined Ecuador\u2019s commitment to deliver bananas that are \u201chigh-quality, socially and environmentally responsible, and above all, safe.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201cThere are fair stories behind every one of our products. A fair price must be recognized to stop bananas from being the cheapest fruit on the shelf and used as a simple loss leader,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The industry, he added, is committed to dignified wages<\/strong>, an occupational health manual drafted with unions<\/strong>, and partnerships with the government to prevent child labor<\/strong>.<\/p>\n