Ecuador has further signalled its intention to expand its fruit exports into new markets around the world, with notable new investment in efforts to build new commercial links in the Middle East and in particular the UAE.
Having opened a new office in Dubai earlier this year, trade promotion body ProEcuador last month hosted four companies from the UAE at a special networking event called Macrorrueda in the Ecuadorean capital Guayaquil.
One of them, Marhaba Fruits, is already importing bananas from the Latin American country, while another,fresh-cut fruit and vegetable specialistBarakat Quality Plus, is also understood to be interested in developing its Ecuadorean import programme.
'We are aiming to increase our export to the UAE to 31 per cent for this year,' commented Hussam Hassan, head of the newly established ProEcuador commercial office in Dubai. 'The sectors that we expect to show growth are from agriculture, wood and tourism.'
'Marhaba Fruits, a leading manufacturer in the UAE, had extensive discussions with Ecuadorian companies during its previous business mission and have opened several doors of investments and bilateral trade,' he added.
Bananas are among the four leading products shipped by Ecuador to the UAE, currently making up just under 12 per cent of total Ecuadorean exports to the country.
