These are the countries with which Ecuador seeks to establish trade agreements

Fruit producers insist the authorities on setting a minimum support price. They suggest a base of $ 2.50 per kilo

The Ecuadorian pitahaya opened a new market, that of China. This, after last Saturday the export protocol for fruit was signed in that country, according toJulio José Prado, Minister of Production, Foreign Trade, Investments and Fisheries.

"Our product can enter the Chinese market, which will especially benefit small Ecuadorian producers of this fruit," Prado announced through his Twitter account.

Ecuador exported17,895 tonsof the fruit in 2021, 60 % more than in 2020 when they were sent11,260 tons.

The signing of this protocol is part of the activities that were developed by the visit of the President of the Republic, Guillermo Lasso, to his counterpart Xi Jinping; during which ministers of state held meetings with their Chinese peers.

For Gabriel Cruz, president of the Pitahaya Producers Association of the Palora Canton, In Morona Santiago, province where 65 % of the registered production sites are concentrated, the beginning of exports to China "is a fact"; and projects that they will start next June.

For this, the sector has been preparing, Cruz said, who explained that until now the pitahaya could not enter the Chinese market due to the demand for certifications of good agricultural practices.

The leader said that currently80 producersOf the 1,500, which are dedicated to that activity, they are already certified to export to the Asian giant and calculates that until June they will be approximately500 the enabled.

On the expectations, Cruz said they are high for the sector, as they calculate that the Chinese market can consume until the triple than that of the United States, currently the main destination of the pitahaya with just over 84 % of exports, that is, some15,000 tons.

Meanwhile, apart from the signing of the protocol, Prado also pointed out that “the right path is the opening of markets, not the pricing in a sector with the high potential to grow and export”, in reference to the request of the sector to the government to issue a law to control the overproduction caused by the fall in prices; and that a minimum support price for fruit is established.

Cruz does not share Prado's position, ensuring that despite the signature of the protocol, whose content has not yet been socialized, pricing for the sector is important.

"For our sector it is very important that we reach a price agreement per season, based on a minimum price that would be $ 2.5 per kilo of fresh fruit for export," said the leader, who on the protocol added: "We have to wait since each market sends the technical parameters that we have to meet both producers and exporters."

Meanwhile, he assured that it is very important that the State helps to lower the cost of inputs, eliminating tariffs, promoting competition, giving access to soft technology and credits to invest in infrastructure.

"That way the farmer may be more productive, lower his cost per kilo and in turn have a better profitability," Cruz said.