Ecuador commits to the effective solution to protect one of its biggest crops.

2024 kicked off with an important step forward for the banana industry, with the new authorisation to market the T34 Biocontrol® plant protection product in Ecuador. This authorisation, with registration number 008-001/ACB approved by the Phyto and Zoosanitary Regulation and Control Agency of the Republic of Ecuador, will allow the product to be sold by the official distributor SWEET SAATEN ECUADOR S.A.S.

The T34 Biocontrol® plant protection product, which contains Trichoderma asperellum strain T34, will be used to effectively controlBlacksigatoka (Mycosphaerella fijiensisin banana crops (Musa acuminata AAA).

Ecuador is known worldwide as one of the main banana producers and exporters. This crop plays a key role in the country’s economy, creating jobs and making up a significant part of income from exports. With extensive swaths of land used to grow bananas, the country has become a global leader in the production of this tropical fruit.

The product will control the disease known as black sigatoka, caused by the Mycosphaerella fijiensisfungus, which affects banana plantations with a negative impact on fruit quality and yield. It causes black spots on the banana leaves, interrupting the plant’s ability to perform photosynthesis and, as a result, affecting fruit quality and yield. Effective measures to control this fungus are crucial to protecting the productivity and sustainability of the banana sector in Ecuador.

This authorisation to sell the T34 Biocontrol® plant protection product gives Ecuadorian farmers access to an effective tool to fight Black sigatoka and reduce the risks of this disease, keeping their crops healthy with an effective organic product that doesn’t leave residue.

With this initiative, Ecuador is furthering its commitment to sustainable agriculture and food safety, ensuring the long-term viability of its banana industry, and consolidating its position as a global leader in banana production and exports.