Fairtrade Banana Puree Factsheet

The Producers

The El Guabo Association of Small Banana Producers was formed in 1997 in the town of El Guabo in the south west of Ecuador.

The Association represents growers from 339 farms in 15 different communities. Nearly ninety of El Guabo’s members are certified organic. Help in obtaining EurepGAP certifcation is being received from AgroFair Assistance and Development.

It is one of the world's leading exporters of Fairtrade bananas, supplying Europe and the USA. The Association also exports organic baby bananas or Oritos, and Fairtrade and organic-Fairtrade banana puree which is used in drinks, baby food and cosmetics.

El Guabo has 63 active women producers, all participating with the same rights and responsibilities as the men. They manage their own farms and in some cases do agricultural work themselves. They believe very strongly that women are capable, particularly in terms of persistence in getting what they want for themselves and their farms.

How Fairtrade benefits the Producers

Before Fairtrade the growers sold through intermediaries and the prices they received were often too low to cover their basic costs. Decent working conditions and fair wages were impossible. Establishing the Association and achieving Fairtrade Certification has changed thousands of lives. The Association is run by a board which is elected every two years and each producer feels they have a big stake in the success of the whole business.

Fairtrade has meant:

A guaranteed fair price for the crop and long term trading arrangements.
Improved education for all children in these communities. The Association is currently working with schools for children with special needs, paying for teachers who give speech therapy to children who need it
Families can afford healthcare. The Association has paid for medical equipment for a centre for children and adults with respiratory problems like asthma.
Workers are affiliated to the social security system.
Improved working conditions. High wire cables have been installed to help transport bananas from the trees to lorries - a major improvement from the days when farmers struggled with heavy loads to the packing stations and crippled backs were commonplace.
Training programmes have been introduced for farmers and workers.

How Fairtrade benefits the Environment

At El Guabo, Fairtrade has encouraged a totally new way of looking at the environment. “We used to fight against nature and spray everything,” says Luis Loja, president of the co-operative. “We would kill the snakes and the birds that invaded our banana plantations. Now we work with nature. We know when we see a snake it is eating pests.”

Other benefits brought by the Fairtrade premium include new irrigation systems, and better drainage.

Bananas being inspected for quality. Photography by Fairtrade Foundation.