Mexican banana growers in Apatzingán cut production by half
Banana production in the Mexican valley of Apatzingán, Michoacán state, has dropped by 50% to 150 metric tonnes (MT) a day due to falling prices,website Cambiodemichoacan.com.mx reported.
Apatzingán Valley Banana Growers Association member Samuel Valle Pantoja, estimated production would decrease by up to 80% over the next two months due to difficult market conditions.
He said prices had recovered from just MXN20 cents per kilogram earlier in the season to MXN1.5 pesos, which was still very low.
Valle Pantoja said this would will favor banana producers in Colima and Tabasco states servicing the domestic markets of Querétaro, Jalisco and Ciudad de México.
A leading banana producer admitted that Apatzingán Valley growers were experiencing a crisis with no room for manoeuvre.
The problems were attributed to the introduction of a national market system in the neighboring state of Colima.
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