Análisis comparado de las Exportaciones de Banano Ecuatoriano a la Unión Europea, Período Pre y Postpandemia.

Abstract

International trade, in its broad spectrum, addresses one of the most important and relevant concepts for the socio-economic development of any state: exports. These transactions are increasingly dynamic due to the globalization of businesses, and their significance is perceived beyond wealth generation, encompassing the exchange of goods and resources that do not exist within a country's territory but are essential for its population's survival. This is the case with bananas, the fourth most coveted food in the world and a symbol of Ecuador's agricultural sector, particularly in the Orense region. Bananas are highly valued due to favorable climatic and soil conditions, enabling continuous year-round production. Since 1910, bananas have been one of Ecuador's two main non-oil exports. However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted international trade globally, affecting the banana sector as well. Nevertheless, the demand for Ecuadorian bananas in international markets has been unstable, experiencing both positive and negative fluctuations. One of the positive highlights is the European Union (EU), with whom Ecuador signed a trade agreement in 2017, later renewed in 2021, ensuring the continued supply of bananas to its member countries. The objective of this research is to determine the impact of the Ecuadorian banana sector's trade agreement with the EU through the analysis of exports from the period 2013 to 2022. The research design employs a non-experimental descriptive methodology, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative elements in a cross-sectional approach. Additionally, the study utilizes literature review and surveys for primary data collection. The findings reveal that banana exports did decrease due to the pandemic, albeit to a lesser extent towards EU markets. Germany, once the primary destination, was replaced by the Netherlands during this period.