The Ecuadorian banana industry plays a significant role in the country’s trade, accounting for over $3.5 billion in exports annually.

Given the importance of this sector, the government is developing a plan known as "Safe Farms" to protect the industry from a surge in criminal activity affecting the country. This wave of crime poses a serious risk to banana production, as criminal groups linked to drug trafficking exploit banana exports to smuggle drugs into various markets.

Safe Farms Initiative

In response to the drug trafficking threat, Ecuador's Banana and Plantain Cluster has united around the Safe Farms plan, which aims to enhance security for banana and coffee plantations.

The initiative focuses on securing banana farms in rural areas, where criminal gangs are known to extort producers and, in some cases, commit kidnappings and murders. These groups have also contaminated exports with drugs, making it crucial to ensure the safety and protection of Ecuador’s agricultural production.

Key measures include scanning 100% of all export containers and implementing standardized security protocols at every stage of the export chain.

The plan also calls on buyer markets, such as the European Union, to share responsibility by addressing the situation as a public health crisis. It stresses the need for collaboration to ensure the safe supply of bananas, which are essential for Europe’s food security.

The plan is built on three principles: proactive action within farms to deter threats, coordination between the private sector, industry groups, and state authorities, and a sustained medium- to long-term effort to strengthen institutional capabilities.

Ecuadorian Banana Industry

In this context, Freshfruitportal.com spoke with the Executive Director of the Ecuadorian Banana Commercialization and Export Association (Acorbanec), who explained that the program involves using Artificial Intelligence to monitor exports.

He noted that the system will provide comprehensive monitoring, traceability, and risk analysis for all parties involved, including both exporters and importers.

“This way, we can ensure we’re sending contamination-free shipments, and importers can have confidence in receiving clean products,” he said.

The director emphasized the significance of these measures. “These tools give us peace of mind. We export bananas, not drugs, and we are victims of contamination.”

He highlighted that 66% of Ecuador's port and shipping activity is tied to the banana sector. “We are the only sector exporting over 5,000 containers weekly to more than 70 countries worldwide, which is why our containers are targeted for contamination,” he explained.

He concluded by stating that while there is no set date for full implementation of the Safe Farms plan, "I understand that the Ecuadorian Customs Ministry is working on it, and we hope it will be fully operational in the coming months."