A diplomatic tension between Ecuador and Russia intensified over the weekend as Ecuador’s decision to prohibit certain banana imports led to a strain in relations. The discord originated from Ecuador’s move to transfer aging Russian military equipment to the United States in exchange for $200 million worth of new military gear.
On Saturday, Russia’s federal agency for veterinary and phytosanitary controls announced a ban on imports from five Ecuadorian banana companies, citing the alleged discovery of a disease in previous shipments of their fruits. Ecuador, a major global banana exporter with sales totaling around $3.5 billion in 2022, faces a significant impact as approximately one-fifth of its annual sales are directed to Russia.
Russia’s ban on banana imports followed Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa’s January announcement about the transfer of outdated Russian military equipment to the United States. Noboa justified the move by describing the equipment as unusable “scrap metal” and emphasized the need for new equipment to combat drug gangs in the country.
In response, Russia’s foreign ministry protested, citing a violation of the contract that specified Ecuador could not sell the equipment to third parties without Russia’s consent. Carlos Estarellas, a former Ecuadorian vice minister for foreign affairs, suggested that Russia’s ban on banana imports could be a retaliatory measure against Ecuador’s decision to send the old military equipment to the U.S. He expressed hope for a diplomatic resolution to the impasse.
Richard Salazar, director of ACORBANEC, a key association of Ecuadorian banana exporters, expressed surprise at Russia’s “drastic” decision. Despite the ban, at least 15 companies continue to export bananas to Russia. Seeking official clarification, Salazar aims to engage in discussions with Russian authorities to address the issue and potentially overturn the ban, recognizing Russia as a crucial and challenging market to replace.