Ecuador banana supplier Favorita has responded to market demands for environmental and labour best practice by offering a four-part series of seminars across the country free of charge to the independent growers that supply a large proportion of its fruit.
Derek Cull of PSI in the UK, who was in Ecuador this month as part of the process explained: "Favorita has 8,000ha of its own under production, but the company also buys from independent producers who grow on 16,000ha. These seminars are part of Favorita's efforts to encourage those growers to understand what is required of them by the marketplace in terms of environmental management and accountability."
So far 355 independent banana producers have attended the seminars which are running until the middle of next month. Between them, they represent 12,000ha of banana plantations.
Cull outlined the expectations of the European marketplace to growers focusing on EurepGap and ISO14001 requirements as well as social accountability to delegates.
Favorita ceo Vicente Wong has been speaking at each seminar to reiterate the importance of small producers to Favorita's procurement base. The programme is being supported financially by the World Bank and a speaker from the bank as well as representatives Costa Rica and from Chiquita in Ecuador have also given presentations to delegates.
