In the face of banana and banana damage, Government will allocate $3 billion to control the plague

To support the control of black sigatoka in banana cultivation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will allocate $3 billion. This pest, known as black leaf stripe, attacks the production of musaceae (banana and banana).

Similarly, he mentioned that “so far in 2022 (January-February 2022), Colombian banana exports totaled US$136.8 million, showing a variation of 17.8% compared to the same period in 2021 (US$116.1 million).”

In addition, Zea pointed out that the main destinations for banana sales this year are: Belgium, the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy and Germany.

On the other hand, the Minister of Agriculture indicated that in order to have tools to deal with regulatory changes in the Maximum Residue Limits of Agrochemicals Used for Banana Production that is being carried out by the European Union, a working table was set up in which several public institutions participate and private.

With this, and with the aim of achieving fair prices for the banana chain in Europe, the Ministry of Agriculture, together with guilds such as Augura and Asbama, was in Berlin (Germany) and Brussels (Belgium) with ambassadors and directors of trade from the European Union, achieving a comprehensive policy between Colombia, Ecuador and Guatemala to obtain a decent price for producers in this important commercial area of the world.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development reported that through the 'Special Credit Line Strategic Sectors', food production activity will be financed by leveraging resources amounting to 350 billion pesos. Of these, nearly $120 billion benefited 4,117 producers and $230 billion is available.

Some of the products that have become more expensive are rice, fresh fruits (lemons, tangerines and mangoes), milk and eggs accounted for 20% of monthly inflation. While the largest price increases, during the last year, were potatoes with 110.22%, cassava with 85.14% and bananas with 82.57%.

He added that “we strongly show our farmers that they can continue to harvest and that 39 of the most important products used in agricultural production will enter the country without tariffs.”

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