Banana exports declined considerably this year due to the floods affecting the producing regions. According to a report in the Listin Diario, banana export production declined from 125,000 cases a week to 70,000, or 44% compared to months prior to the November and December intense rains. By year end, exporters estimate that their totals will account for 3,640,000 cases, down from the 6.5 million cases shipped in an average year. A spokesman for the Association of Dominican Banana Producers (Adobanano) told the Listin that this could cause the country to lose its European banana quota. Europe is the lead market for Dominican banana produce. Producers hope the government will help them recover 38,000 tareas of land that were damaged by the excessive rainfall, causing them to rack up losses of RD$2 billion this year. The lost banana crops reduced employment activity as well, going from 25,000 laborers previously to 10,000 at present time. Blanco Diaz spoke of the fear that other countries may snatch up the Dominican market share for lack of local production. He estimated that the Dominican production had declined 50%.