Madeira’s banana sector beat all records in 2022, its best year ever, showing a 144% growth in producer income.
Social Democrat deputy Nuno Maciel claims to have saved the Madeira banana in a political intervention in the plenary of the Legislative Assembly of Madeira, in Funchal, highlighting the policy and investments made in the sector by the Regional Government.
The parliamentarian said that, in 2009, there was a situation of “harmful management” on the part of the banana cooperatives, which were “bankrupt”, which caused “chaos in the sector” in the region, with an impact on the flow capacity reports www.theportugalnews.com
Nuno Maciel highlighted that the creation of Gesba - Empresa de Gestão do Setor da Banana operated a change, giving “stability and security” to those who make a living from this agricultural production.
The deputy stated that in 2009, the first year of management of this company, 13,900 tons were produced by 2,771 farmers, which represented a turnover of around 8.6 million euros, with an average payment of 0.62 cents per kilo.
At the end of 2022, with 2,991 producers, 22,700 tons were reached, which meant an income of 21.2 million euros, with an average payment of 0.84 cents per kilo.