The president of the Foundation for the Improvement of Banana in Venezuela (Fumplaven), Jose Rafel Urdaneta, stated that the lack of fuel to keep drainage systems active during the imminent rainy season could jeopardize the production of some 10,000 hectares banana.

Urdaneta said that they needed 60,000 liters of gasoline and 30,000 diesel per week for a period of two months to save the harvest because the systems are mechanical and the engines are only powered by fuel.

The representative of the foundation said they had to deal with this situation this week because the weather conditions have not been favorable.

"The great challenge for producers is the lack of gasoline to be able to control and supervise all the tasks that are normally carried out," he said.