Boxes Of Bananas

             980 boxes on 20 pallets, 48 boxes each

Diameter of the fruit: measurement of the thickness of the fruit according to the required specifications of the client and to determine the physiological state of the fruit. Harvesting: the cutting of the stalk is done at the recommended height of the psuedostem and the cut is made horizontally to reduce the spillage of latex. Moving: the moving of the stalks is done by qualified personnel trained in preserving the quality of the fruit. Selection: the fruit is classified depending on the various categories of quality; the bananas are selected in accordance with the ranges of quality as specified by each client. Deflowering: the flowers are picked off the ends of the bananas, starting from the bottom and moving upwards to reduce the possibility of latex. Cutting: the clusters are removed from the stalk taking care not to damage the stems of the bananas, and damaged bananas are removed. Washing: the washing time is approximately 15 to 18 minutes, with an abundant flow of water to eliminate the latex.
Fumigation: fumigation is done to principally avoid an anthracnose attack which lessens the quality of the fruit. Drying: drying is done to prevent spoilage and to heal the cuts on the stems. Weight and stickering: bananas are weighed and placed on trays until they have been filled with the required weight. Then they are stickered. Packing: a plastic bag is placed in a banana box and a heavy paper division is placed in the bag. Then the bananas are packed following a low packing pattern, meaning that over-crowding is avoided. Lastly, the existing air is sucked out of the bag of bananas and the top of the bag is rubber banded shut. Transport: the banana boxes are put on to pallets: this makes storage and moving easier. Port verification: before loading onto the shipping vessel a last verification of the product is done taking into account the requirements of each client. Why is the Ecuadorian banana rated the best quality banana and the most environmentally friendly? Banana cultivation requires special climate and soil characteristics, among those being:
- An average temperature of 25° C (77° F).
- Regular monthly precipitation between 100 to 180 mm.
- Light is important to guarantee photosynthetic activity in the plant.
- Winds that do not exceed 30 km per hour.
- Flat and fertile terrain with good drainage, and a pH of between 6 and 6.5

Ecuador is a privileged country as far as these conditions go.  Average temperatures are inferior to those of the Caribbean and there is a relatively dry season.  This relates to a lesser occurrence of plagues: the number of necessary fumigations to maintain the quality of the fruit for exportation is substantially fewer (15 to 20 times per year) compared with other banana cultivating regions like Central America and the Caribbean which require up to 50 fumigations annually.  Ecuador has an optimum amount of daylight due to its location in the middle of the world.  Ecuador does not suffer from natural phenomenon like hurricanes, tropical cyclones/typhoons, or strong/damaging winds.

The banana plantations are located in tropical/humid regions with flat and fertile terrain.  The ground where the banana is planted is of excellent texture, and among other qualities very permeable soil which practically eliminates the possibility of soil erosion.  In contrast to other countries, Ecuador does not need an elevated application of fertilizers which means that the Ecuadorian banana plantations have a  minimal impact on the environment.  Finally, Ecuador has regulations and permanent controls in place with regards to labour laws governing banana producers and workers.

All of these conditions contribute to the Ecuadorian banana being recognized for its quality, taste, and preferred by the most demanding markets of Europe, Asia and North America.  This is why Ecuador is the #1 exporter of bananas worldwide.