Banana exports fall 2.14% in the first quarter of 2021

Demand contracted in some markets and there was a lower supply for climate and ash

Demand reduction inRussia, Middle East and part of EuropeHe influenced banana exports to suffer a slight fall in the first quarter of this year.

As happened in January and February, the shipments of the fruit abroad suffered a downturn again in March, causing the sales of the first quarter to descend 2.14%.

Sales from January to March reached 102.11 million boxes, that is, 2.22 million boxes less than in the same period of 2020, according to data from the data of theBanana Marketing and Export Association (Acorbanec).

Of the total exported boxes, 29.39% were allocated to the European Union; 20.65% towards Russia; 11.49% to the United States; 10.99% to Middle East; 7.18% to Eastern Europe; 6.90% to Africa, among other markets.

Richard Salazar, CEO of Acorbanec,He explained that there was a decrease in demand in markets in Russia, Middle East and part of Europe due to economic factors that live their economies.

"Russia and the Middle East depend a lot on oil. It is not that they have stopped buying Ecuador for buying other countries, they have reduced purchase," he said.

In Russia the shipments fell 8.19%, in the European Union 3.29%, and in the Middle East 28.43%.

In addition to the end of February and March, a purchasing reduction in Algeria and Iran (through Turkey) was evidenced due to the reduction of the granting of import licenses for the balance of the trade balance and currency exit in these countries.

Exports to Türkiye also descended because this country practically covers its demand by 80% with its own banana production.

Salazar indicated that another local factor that affects the sales of this quarter is thatIn March, affectations were recorded due to the fall of ashes and rains.

During the first two weeks of March,Guayas, Cañar and the rivers areas were affected by the ashes emanating by the Sangay volcano;while heavy rains flooded plantations especially in the rivers, affecting more than 1,400 hectares. All this reduced the offer of bananas in Ecuador.

Despite the difficulties that the world still crosses because of pandemicThere were markets that had a better performance. In that group isAfricawith a growth of 80.36%;Regarding the total trade balance, in this period it registered a favorable balance of $558 million, resulting from a trade surplus of $655 million in the oil balance and a deficit of $97 million in the non-oil balance.with 17.83%;Eastern Europewith 29.01%; and,South cone9.12%.

In the US market, 11.73 million boxes were placed and part of the increase in sales was because Central American competitors such as Honduras and Guatemala had complications.

What port captures the banana export?

The port terminals of Guayaquil continue to mobilize most of the banana load, which represents the second non -oil export item of Ecuador. He77.33% of the load that was exported in the first quarter left the ports inside this canton.

The business to capture exports of this fruit is very close, especially since it entered the DP World competition, which has begun to capture a part of the volume that goes out of the country.

From January to March, the terminals located within the city moved 70.65 million boxes, 69.19% of the country's banana charge. Within that group, Contecon moves the biggest volume.

José Antonio Contreras, manager of Contecon Guayaquil,He said this week that in 2020 they invested more than 30 million dollars, even with the problems generated by the pandemic.

DP World, with its deep waters port in the Postorja parish, it managed to capture 8.31 million boxes, that is, 8.14%.

22.67% of the remaining market was in the hands of Puerto Bolívar, which mobilized 23.13 million boxes in the first quarter. That terminal is being repowering and in this semester will work its new cranes with which it intends to improve its charging and discharge times of containers.