Trade promotion agency ProEcuador has launched a new online service to connect importers with more than a thousand fresh produce supplies from the Andean country.

Using the B2B (business-to-business) platform, called e-Ecuador, international buyers will be able to access a virtual marketplace to review the different products on offer.

The system has been in operation for a few months, but it recently had its official launch in London, where ProEcuador UK Trade Commissioner Juan Carlos Yepez said: "Ecuador is a unique country that has created its own online platform."

Yepez told Fresh Fruit Portal that the idea for e-Ecuador came about from "the need for transparency and speed that the digital age demands", adding that the service will complement ProEcuador's trade promotion efforts.

The representative also said that the platform offers protection to importers.

"They are the ones who can see and contact the exporters, not vice-versa," he explained.

Exporters will be able to create a profile which will be shown on a product catalog. Importers can then view the catalog, filtering by areas like sector or certification, following which they can contact the supplier.