Congress approved a decree obliging the Ministry of Agriculture to fumigate banana and plantain plantations.
Decree 7-2020 approved the Law for the Protection of Banana and Plantain Crops in the Republic of Guatemala, a law that, in addition to protecting banana crops, also promotes the economic development of the banana sector, Congress reported in a press release.
The government decreed that starting January 1, 2020, banana exporters in Costa Rica will pay local producers a minimum price of $8.36 per 18.14 kilo box.
The authorized increase will be $0.67 per box of 18.14 kilos, from $7.69 to $8.36 for each package sold abroad, reported the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce (MEIC).
Guatemalan producers report that their profit margins have been reduced because the threat of the Fusarium R4T pest has forced them to increase their spending on phytosanitary measures and crop biosecurity.
After the presence of the pest Fusarium R4T in Colombia was confirmed, in Costa Rica the producers' guild asked the authorities to decree a national state of emergency to prevent the entry of the disease into the country.
Costa Rica has updated the mandatory phytosanitary measures for imports, while in Guatemala protocols are being implemented in the fields where the fruit is harvested, because of the threat of Fusarium R4T disease.
Authorities of the South American country confirmed the presence of Fusarium R4T, in a limited area of 175 hectares in the department of Guajira.
Weeks ago, the International Regional Organization for Agricultural Health (OIRSA) reported that because of the suspicion of the fungus in Colombia, the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) issued a resolution on June 25, which declares in phytosanitary quarantine the farm Don Marce, in the municipality of Riohacha in the department of La Guajira, for the presence of symptoms associated with the pest Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Raza 4 Tropical.
Because of the suspicion that exists in Colombia about the presence of the pest known as "wilt by fusarium", an alert was issued in the countries of Central America.
The International Regional Organization for Agricultural Health (OIRSA), reported that because of the suspicion of the fungus in Colombia, the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) issued a resolution on June 25, which declares in phytosanitary quarantine the farm Don Marce, located in the municipality of Riohacha in the department of La Guajira, for the presence of symptoms associated with the pest Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Race 4 tropical.
In the first nine months of 2018, Central American countries recorded $1.928 million in banana sales abroad, and exports to the Netherlands increased 5% over the same period in 2017.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
In the first three months of the year, Central American countries registered $625 million in banana sales abroad, and exports to the Netherlands increased by 38% compared to the same period in 2017.
Figures from the information system on the Fresh or Dry Banana Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
The sublease contract for 1,300 farms signed between Del Monte and the Panamanian government will allow banana production to start in Barú, Chiriqui.
From a statement issued by the Presidency of Panama:
The contract for the sub-leasing of more 1,300 farms for reactivation of banana production in Barú, province of Chiriquí, was signed on Monday by the Minister of the Presidency, Álvaro Alemán and the vice president of operations for Latin America of the company Del Monte, Jorge Pelaes.
In 2016, bananas were the agricultural product that generated the most export revenue in Central America, with sales of $2.4 billion, corresponding to 5.7 million tons.
Data from the interactive system Monitoring of Crops in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with the graphic"]
In 2016 the countries in the region exported $2,393 million worth of bananas, and 78% of them went to the United States, the Netherlands and Italy.
Figures from the Information System on the fresh and dried banana market in Central America compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [Figure caption = "Click to interact with the graphic"]
In 2016 a record 120 million boxes of 18 kilos were exported, generating revenues of $986 million, and productivity rose from 2,339 boxes per hectare in 2015 to 2,800 last year.
2016 was a good year for the banana sector in Costa Rica, which registered a significant rise compared to results seen in previous years.Compared to 2015 not only did overall productivity improve, but sales grew in value and volume.
Producers predict to end 2016 with a growth of between 6% and 7% in the export of the fruit.
Despite the adverse weather conditions which affected banana production not only in Honduras but also in other parts of Central America, revenues generated from the sale of bananas abroad could reach $485 million this year, according to projections by the Secretariat of Agriculture and Livestock.
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