Banasan Raises Its Voice for the Future of Colombian Bananas at the Third Banana Congress
Within the framework of the Third Colombian Banana Congress, held at the Estelar Santa Mar Hotel and Convention Center, an extensive academic and technical agenda brought together experts, producers, and representatives from both the national and international banana sectors. Beyond knowledge exchange, the event became a key platform to highlight the major challenges facing Colombia’s banana industry.
During his presentation, Carlos Pinilla, General Manager of Banasan, offered a frank reflection on the structural challenges facing the sector. In the same year that the company celebrates two decades of operations, Pinilla emphasized Banasan’s dual commitment: the export of high-quality fruit and social responsibility, embodied through the Banasan Foundation, which works to improve the well-being of surrounding communities.
However, the manager also expressed concern over two critical issues: the stagnation of international banana prices and the increasing insecurity in the banana-growing region of Magdalena.
“There is a shared pain within the sector: the price paid for our fruit does not reflect the effort nor the costs involved in producing it under international standards,” Pinilla stated.
Despite meeting requirements such as living wages and multiple sustainability certifications, prices in the European market —the main export destination— have not adjusted fairly, unlike other fruits such as oranges, which have seen significant increases in recent years.
The situation has been further exacerbated by the impact of the pandemic, which led to higher costs in inputs, transportation, labor, and safety measures. Nevertheless, the sector continues to make major investments to ensure operational continuity and maintain fair working conditions.
In a more critical tone, Pinilla warned about the severe security situation affecting the region:
“The situation has reached such a level that workers are afraid to return. It is unacceptable that we have to operate under these conditions. The sector cannot replace the role of the government. We need a real presence of the authorities in the territory —not only socially, but also in terms of security.”
The congress concluded that the sustainability of Colombia’s banana sector does not depend solely on climate, certifications, or international markets, but also on the State’s will to guarantee security in rural areas and to promote fair commercial conditions in global markets.
From Santa Marta, the message is clear and urgent:
The Colombian banana sector needs immediate action —time is running out.
