2024-03-20 21:29:36
Four non-traditional products and four classics are in CREA projects, which seek to strengthen the agri-food sector and gain visibility in the EU.
The Ecuadorian avocado, along with guayusa, soursop and quinoa, are positioned with great potential in the European market, without leaving aside traditional export products: plantain, banana, coffee and cocoa, thus enhancing the country’s agri-food sector. . These are the eight products that are part of the Road to the Reactivation of Agri-Food Ecuador (CREA) projects, which is funded by the European Union (EU).
And the agri-food sector, in which different actors in the production chain participate, has played an important role in raising awareness in the European community, indicates the executive president of the National Association of Food and Beverage Manufacturers (Anfab), Christian Wahli.
The project coordinator, Julio de la Calle, comments that currently the agri-food sector represents 40% of formal employment in Ecuador, and also if we talk about the economically active population it is 67% of the people who are enrolled in this sector.
With respect to non-oil exports, De la Calle indicates that it represents 66%, which means a positive balance, because the agri-food sector does not import beyond inputs and certain foods, which is why the balance allows for a surplus. , “being the highest of all to sustain dollarization” and adds that if it is compared to the country’s total exports it reaches 47%.
Likewise, it indicates that in terms of production, everything that has to do with the food and beverage industry represents 47% of the manufacturing industry. While in total sales billing at the national level it is around 19%.
Precisely because these percentages are important for the country, he comments that after the creation of the concept of Agri-Food Ecuador and with the goal of working towards a market, of aligning all the actors in the chain, instead of “producing and then seeing who to sell to ” as “normally done in Ecuador”, is that they created export pilot projects to the EU since 2019, because it was a market where a trade agreement had just been signed. In addition, at that time the trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association (EPTA), which also includes several European countries, was ratified.
Given this scenario, they carried out these pilot projects and obtained “great results”, there was interest, a purchase proposal of around $2.5 million with more than 15 companies and that is when they saw that they were on track with micro, small and medium-sized companies (MSMEs) and companies that are going to Europe, but they needed to link the primary sector and that is when they presented the CREA project together with other organizations from the productive sector and academia and in this way they strengthened themselves to “reach the European Union with greater strength.”
The challenge, says De la Calle, is to continue directing 38 MSMEs and 24 producer organizations from these eight value chains with fresh and processed products in accordance with market requirements. They have participated in fairs in markets such as Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, among others.
Star products with potential
Avocado
Although coffee, cocoa, plantains and bananas from Ecuador already have a marked presence in the international market, in the other half of the chain, avocado is positioned as the star product, due to the multiple benefits it has and states that “ It is currently one of the most in-demand products for being a “superfood” in markets such as Italy and Germany.
They are also looking to enter that market with processed avocado products, because “there have been certain limitations in supply from other countries,” including Chile, and therefore they think it is “time to exploit that chain.”
Soursop
Soursop is also another product that they seek to position in the European market, which although it is not known in the EU, but the strategy has been to venture with the flavors of the fruit mixed with flavors that Europeans know. He cites as an example that that is why it was the strategy to go with ice cream in Italy.
Guayusa
In this line of positioning Ecuadorian products, which they also see as having great potential is guayusa, which they explain has high antioxidant and energizing powers. They indicate that although the leaf cannot be exported, it can if it is processed and also through its derivatives, so they are “pushing for this Amazonian crop to be known.” He is aware that it is not easy, but he says that they will work with his allies to achieve this.
Quinoa
Regarding quinoa, for which they also have high expectations, Wahli says that exports are promoted, but there is no production in Ecuador, and that is what they are working on with CREA. “The company that has the market, that has the process, that knows it can sell is going to have to get right into planting, but there is a very complicated idiosyncrasy, a lack of trust and that is why support is required, to work together. “, it states.
De la Calle adds that quinoa is currently planted in Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, Carchi and Imbabura.
And he comments that with the eight chains defined by the project they will work until December 2025, but companies and organizations are able to resolve any requirement for any other fruit or product that is required. “If later they ask us for a requirement in a European country or in new trade agreements (China, Costa Rica, South Korea), we can work with them because they already have the certifications,” he says. (YO)