Banana disease Black Sigatoka has caused significant damage to Ecuadorean banana production this year and the country is struggling to meet international demand.
Hoover Encalada, of Hacienda Rio Negro told Fresh Plaza around 30,000ha of production had been totally wiped out by the disease.
"On top of that there are another 20,000ha that are infected with the disease to one extent or another," he added.
Production has fallen by 25 per cent, he said, with exports this month falling to around 3m boxes a week compared to 4m boxes at the same time last year.
Export demand for Ecuadorean bananas increased this year when Chinese imports of Philippine bananas fell dramatically after it imposed inspections on 100 per cent of fruit from that country.
