Análisis de la importación de insumos y su incidencia en el desarrollo del sector agrícola de la provincia del Guayas

Abstract

The development of the agricultural sector in the province of Guayas is highly dependent on imported inputs, which poses challenges in terms of sustainability and competitiveness. The growing dependence on imported fertilizers, seeds and machinery has affected both production costs and the stability of the sector, especially for small and medium producers. In this context, the research aims to analyze the import of inputs and their impact on agricultural development in the province. To this end, the main obstacles and advantages of imports are identified, the most relevant categories of imported inputs are determined and their impact on the sustainability and competitiveness of the sector is analyzed. The research approach is qualitative, based on interviews with foreign trade experts, agricultural producers and input importers. The results highlight that the volatility of international prices, high logistics costs and dependence on external markets limit access to essential inputs. However, imports allow access to advanced technologies that improve agricultural productivity. It is concluded that, although input imports are important for agricultural production, their high dependence represents a risk. It is therefore recommended that local production of fertilizers and bioinputs be strengthened, tariff policies be improved, and research into sustainable agricultural technologies be encouraged in order to reduce the vulnerability of the sector and improve its long-term competitiveness.