Ecuador was hit hard by the coronavirus. They have a high number of infected cases. The images of bodies lying in the streets of the second largest city, Guayaquil, drew attention from all over the world. The recovering flower sector is struggling to meet the demand in the short term. But in the longer term, it seems like the number of flower growers as well as the acreage will be decreasing.
It’s been a tough year for the flower sector in Ecuador. It all started with the unrest in the autumn of 2019. Dozens of nurseries were shut down because of blockades, and workers were forced to take part in the protests. The severe coronavirus outbreak was added to that last March.
Ecuador was hit hard by Covid-19. Especially the port city of Guayaquil, which was one of the worst affected places in the world. Strict measures were put in place. Branch organisation Expoflores was sending out cries for help to highlight the seriousness of the situation and ask for support for the flower farms.
Now that Ecuador seems to have the worst behind them, it’s time to take provisional stock of the situation. Which up until the beginning of July, could be described as bizarre. In the meantime, the nurseries that reopened can’t fulfil the demand, even if it’s lower than normal. The decreased acreage, start-up problems, weather conditions and pests are all playing a role.
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