Ecuador has introduced new traceability guidelines to guarantee the origin and quality of its agricultural exports.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock’s new General Traceability Guidelines for Agricultural and Forestry Production will guarantee that products come from areas free of deforestation. In this way, Ecuador ratifies its commitment to the European Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR), agriculture minister Danilo Palacios said.
“We are reaffirming the Government’s commitment [to European Union traceability and due diligence requirements],” Palacios said. “With an effective traceability system, consumers will be offered detailed information about the origin and quality of products, increasing their confidence and satisfaction.”
Ecuador is a leading exporter of conventional and organic produce to the EU. In 2023, it exported almost US$2bn of agricultural products to that market, the main ones being bananas, cocoa beans, fresh flowers, coffee, broccoli, pineapples and pitahaya, amongst others.
The traceability guidelines were built with the support and involvement of the different technical areas of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, as well as the Agency for Regulation and Control of Plant and Animal Health (Agrocalidad), and with the collaboration of the growers and producer unions.
Palacios also indicated that the government is working on new policy to advance the growth of the agricultural sector.
