The first Banana Congress of the Colombian Caribbean 2023 will be held between Thursday, May 18 and Friday, May 19, at the facilities of the Santamar Star Hotel and Convention Center, in the city of Santa Marta.

This event is the most important for the banana sector. The congress represents the evolution of the five editions of the forum, according to the Association of Banana Growers of Magdalena and La Guajira (Asbma), which have allowed the positioning of Santa Marta as the banana capital of Colombia bananas.

Banana Forum 2022 highlighted Banana as the world leader in the Fresh fruit trade

For this meeting, entrepreneurs, scientists, associations, public officials and members of this agro-industrial section will gather, demonstrating and verifying the progress obtained from the previous versions of the banana forum.

“Last year, we had a very successful forum and once we analyzed the results, the demand for commercial spaces and the very good academic offer, we made the decision in conjunction with the board of directors, to enlarge and become a congress. We’ll enlarge our commercial sample and maintain a high academic standard with respected scientists from the banana industry who will be accompanying us at this 2023 congress in Asbama,” said José Francisco Zúñiga Cotes, Executive President of Asbama.

This event is carried out in order to create a space dedicated to the analysis, reflection and originating unique and innovative contributions around significant and relevant problems of this productive sector. It’ll also be making available to agribusiness all the necessary knowledge and scientific progress that has been generated in recent years in areas such as irrigation, diseases, phytosanitary aspects and the commercial part of bananas.

“We recently confirmed the presence of the Minister of Agriculture, Cecilia López; the president of the Agrarian Bank, Hernando Chica; the Executive president of CAF-Development Bank of Latin America, Sergio Díaz Granados. Also present will be the manager in charge of ICA, Juan Fernando Roa Ortíz and the economic adviser to the President of the Republic, Dr. Cesar Ferrari.”

Government describes the strategy to Contain Foc R4T in the Banana sector as Successful

The Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) has prohibited visits by other personnel to farms, since in Magdalena and La Guajira there are outbreaks of Fusarium Race 4 Tropical Wilt (Foc R4T), which is a disease that affects banana and plantain plantations, causing wilting and death. Asbama complies with the measure and it is sent as a recommendation to visitors.

In this sense, the state will evaluate the tourist developments of Santa Marta because international experts will be coming. It is also estimated that 1,200 people from Colombia, from the banana industry will also come here.

“We are banana growers. We have our headquarters in Santa Marta, but we have a regional influence and that helps us to have an important dynamic for the promotion of bananas, but also, the promotion of our city. It is a meeting that will generate a hotel dynamic because many people come from abroad and that is for the economy and event tourism,” said José Francisco Zúñiga, executive president of Asbama.

Source: Agronegocios.co