Faced with the alarm generated by the spread of the fungus Fusarium Race 4, the Association of Banana Producers of Ecuador (Aprobanec) presented on Monday August 12 in Guayaquil their proposals to prevent the entry of the pest into the country.

According to Byron Paredes, president of Aprobanec, one of the main proposals is the creation of the National Banana Institute, which will focus on the permanent control of diseases affecting this fruit. The use of biological prevention protocols, such as the use of microorganisms for soil nutrition, is another proposal.

The banana growers also requested the formation of working groups with representatives of farmers and phytopathologists technicians from universities, research centers and more professionals linked to the sector.

The manifesto, which reiterates the sectors right to a fair support price, was signed by five producer associations from provinces such as El Oro, Los Ríos and Manabí. And it was sent to the Ministry of Agriculture and the Presidency of the Republic the week before.

Last Thursday (8th of August), Colombia confirmed the presence of the so-called Panama disease in the department of La Guajira. The Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) announced that the disease had affected 175 hectares of banana plantations.