Hamburg, October 14 – Declaring its solidarity and friendship with the Ecuadorian flower industry and its long-standing partner the national association of flower exporters and producers Expoflores, CIOPORA expresses its concern with the political situation in Ecuador and calls upon the international community and the green sector to extend their support to colleagues in the South America’s largest flower-producing country.
Picture credit: Diego Ph, Unsplash.com
The ongoing riots, triggered by the October 1 Government’s decree ending the fuel subsidies, have immobilized the country undermining public security and impacting virtually all industries, including floriculture. It was reported last week that many flower farms across the country were sustaining damages and had become targets of violent assaults. Furthermore, public unrest has paralyzed the infrastructure vital to the trade in flowers, Ecuador’s fifth most important export.
CIOPORA hopes that the October 13 public negotiations between the Government and the leaders of Ecuador’s indigenous peoples will as soon as possible put an end to public unrest and violence, which has led to multiple reported casualties in nearly two weeks of protests. Meanwhile, CIOPORA calls upon the green sector to maintain its business commitments to Ecuadorian partners and, where needed and possible, to extend their support.