En Ecuador, los agricultores que apostaron por los granos de cacao se están forrando a medida que la escasez mundial del principal ingrediente del chocolate alimenta una bonanza de precios. El cacao es ahora un negocio multimillonario en el país andino, rivalizando con el oro, el cobre, la plata y el plátano.

Quito

Ecuadorian farmers are experiencing a substantial increase in income as global cocoa prices soar, driven by poor harvests in major producing countries like Ivory Coast and Ghana. Many farmers, such as Sergio Lema, have been able to invest in modern farming infrastructure and improve crop quality thanks to the higher revenues.

The price surge has resulted in a significant boost to Ecuador's economy, with cocoa exports reaching $3.6 billion, surpassing mining and banana exports for the first time in decades. The country has increased its export volume and foreign exchange earnings, positioning cocoa as a leading export commodity.

Los agricultores ecuatorianos se benefician de la subida de los precios del cacao

Olvídate de la fiebre del oro, en Ecuador es la fiebre del cacao. Gracias a la subida de los precios del principal ingrediente del chocolate, un agricultor como Sergio Lema vio triplicar sus ingresos en los dos últimos años. Ahora utiliza esos mayores ingresos para hacer inversiones muy necesarias. Estamos haciendo mejoras. Antes no había riego aquí. Ahora tenemos un moderno sistema de riego en la granja y también somos capaces de mejorar la cultivos mediante la aplicación de una gran cantidad de fertilizantes orgánicos. La ganancia de Ecuador es la pérdida de África Occidental. La sequía, las fuertes lluvias y las enfermedades en Costa de Marfil y Ghana han arruinado las cosechas de cacao en los dos últimos años. Los dos países habían producido más de la mitad de la producción mundial del grano. Pero ahora, Anacoco, una ONG local, calcula que unos 400.000 productores y exportadores ecuatorianos se han beneficiado de la subida de precios. En abril ya habíamos exportado unas 159.000 toneladas, que generaron 1.400 millones de dólares en divisas. para el país. Hemos aumentado el volumen un 34% y los ingresos en divisas casi un 94%. En diciembre de 2024, los precios internacionales de la cosecha alcanzaron un récord de 12.000 dólares en diciembre antes de caer hasta los 8.500 dólares actuales. Además, la escasez ha multiplicado por más de tres el valor del cacao. En total, en 2024, las exportaciones de cacao de Ecuador sumaron 3.600 millones de dólares. Eso es 600 millones de dólares más que la minería. Y por primera vez en 60 años, el valor del cacao exportado superó al del plátano. Una hazaña impresionante para el mayor exportador mundial de esta fruta.

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