Ecuadorean officials are forecasting growth in the country's banana export business this year, with estimates that shipments will increase by 17 per cent year-on-year to US$2.1bn (€1.6bn) by the end of 2010.
The predication comes despite a fall of US$22m in value terms of Ecuador's banana exports through the January-April period this year, the result of unfavourable weather conditions and lower prices.
Eduardo Ledesma, head of banana exporting association AEBE, told Reuters that he expected to see a bounce-back in the market in the coming months, while noting that the possible signing of trade accords with Iran, Libya and China could also boost the country's banana income.
'If the government closes deals with these countries, we could export an additional 10m crates of bananas per year,' Mr Ledesma noted at the Reuters Latin American Investment Summit.
