<p> Difficulties with banana production and slow demand are afflicting Ecuadorian farmers, who are currently under pressure from the black sigatoka plague in plantations. Consequently, 29,000 hectares of bananas are out of production and the price of the fruit is on the rise. According to Hoy, Ecuadorian bananas have also lost market share against Columbia, Peru, and the countries of Central America, while there is falling demand in the markets of the northern countries of the European Union, Mediterranean East, and Africa.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">In terms of exports, Ecuador exported 189 million boxes between January and September 2013 from 190 million during the same period in 2012, according to the Association of Banana Exporters of Ecuador. Pricing for the fruit has also been on the rise, with each box costing $8.95, compared to prices between $8.00 and $8.35 in competing countries.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> During the Banana World Summit in Guayaquil, the banana cadastral survey of the Ministry of Agriculture indicated that Ecuador productive areas declined to 171,000 hectares from 200,000 hectares between January 2012 and February 2013. However, banana producer Leopoldo Cano from El Oro believes that the area’s decline may exceed 60,000 acres.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">How soon will it be before Ecuadorian banana producers recover?<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for more comments and opinions.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=" http://www.hoy.com.ec/movil-front-noticias.php?id=en-ecuador-se-han-perdido-29-mil-hectareas-de-banano-594910" target="_new"> Ecuadorian Banana Loss </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
