Bananas, Are They the Bananas, Are They the Quintessential Health Quintessential Health Food? A Global/Local Food? A Global/Local

PerspectivePerspective

By Susan L. AndreattaBy Susan L. Andreatta

““Healthy living” and “Healthy eatingHealthy living” and “Healthy eating” ”

Increasing public awareness of this in the Increasing public awareness of this in the 1980s and 1990s resulting in a reduction in 1980s and 1990s resulting in a reduction in the amount of meat, poultry, and fish the amount of meat, poultry, and fish consumed and a growing interest in consumed and a growing interest in vegetarian diets that cuts across classes and vegetarian diets that cuts across classes and ethnic groups ethnic groups

This dietary shift parallels societies’ increasing This dietary shift parallels societies’ increasing awareness of and concern for the environment awareness of and concern for the environment

““greening” effect greening” effect ““free range”, “low fat”, “no fat”, free range”, “low fat”, “no fat”,

“environmentally safe” or “non-animal “environmentally safe” or “non-animal tested”tested”

However, crop cultivation that contributes However, crop cultivation that contributes to vegetarian diets is not always as benign to vegetarian diets is not always as benign or environmentally friendly as is often or environmentally friendly as is often assumed assumed

Avoiding the use of animals does not Avoiding the use of animals does not necessarily make agriculture, aquaculture, necessarily make agriculture, aquaculture, or vegetarian diets “green” or “safe”, or vegetarian diets “green” or “safe”, “healthy” or “environmentally friendly”“healthy” or “environmentally friendly”

We should incorporate the health and We should incorporate the health and safety of growers and the environmentsafety of growers and the environment

Bananas –Health food? Bananas –Health food? For many people bananas appear to be the For many people bananas appear to be the

quintessential health food. Consumers throughout quintessential health food. Consumers throughout the world enjoy bananasthe world enjoy bananas

Bananas are one of the “must import” food Bananas are one of the “must import” food commodities, with world trade in 1993 valued at $75 commodities, with world trade in 1993 valued at $75 billionbillion

Article draws on research in the Windward Island Article draws on research in the Windward Island banana growers in St. Vincent, to illustrate how banana growers in St. Vincent, to illustrate how pressure from transnational corporations contributes pressure from transnational corporations contributes to social injustice and environmental degradationto social injustice and environmental degradation

Evidence indicates that international bananaEvidence indicates that international bananaindustries are having an adverse effect on industries are having an adverse effect on economies, livelihoods and the physical economies, livelihoods and the physical Environment on both a local and global scale Environment on both a local and global scale

Transnational Banana Trade- Transnational Banana Trade- The European Union’s ControlThe European Union’s Control

More than 90% of world banana exports are More than 90% of world banana exports are to the developed market economies of the to the developed market economies of the north, yet only 22% of the worldwide banana north, yet only 22% of the worldwide banana crop are grown for export, and most bananas crop are grown for export, and most bananas serve as a staple food for the population in serve as a staple food for the population in the areas where they are cultivatedthe areas where they are cultivated

The European Union is the single largest The European Union is the single largest importer of bananas in the worldimporter of bananas in the world

In the United States and the United Kingdom In the United States and the United Kingdom bananas are more popular than any other bananas are more popular than any other fruitfruit

Europe is the largest fresh-Europe is the largest fresh-fruit importer and the EU is fruit importer and the EU is the predominant force in the predominant force in importingimporting

Chiquita, Del Monte, and Chiquita, Del Monte, and Dole, the three largest Dole, the three largest USA-based banana USA-based banana multinationals, own 20% of multinationals, own 20% of the plantations in Central the plantations in Central America and control 75% America and control 75% of the trade in that regionof the trade in that region

Between them these Between them these companies control 70% of companies control 70% of the world banana tradethe world banana trade

Windward Island BananasWindward Island Bananas Comprised of several Banana Comprised of several Banana

Growers’ Associations (BGAs) Growers’ Associations (BGAs) 27,000 registered banana 27,000 registered banana

growers on the Windward growers on the Windward Islands are organized into four Islands are organized into four BGAsBGAs

the international banana the international banana trade regime has had trade regime has had significant influence on significant influence on Windward Island banana Windward Island banana production production

In 1954 St. Vincent and In 1954 St. Vincent and Grenadines BGA entered into Grenadines BGA entered into a standing contract with a standing contract with Geest Industries UK whereby Geest Industries UK whereby all bananas of exportable all bananas of exportable quality had to be sold to quality had to be sold to Geest Geest

Contract problemsContract problems

Contractual agreements between Geest and Contractual agreements between Geest and the Windward Island BGA have been the Windward Island BGA have been strained for nearly four decades strained for nearly four decades

Realized price-farmers produce the Realized price-farmers produce the bananas, they are delivered to Geest, Geest bananas, they are delivered to Geest, Geest transports the bananas on their ships to the transports the bananas on their ships to the UK, deducts all agreed costs and what is left UK, deducts all agreed costs and what is left is what the farmers and associates get is what the farmers and associates get

Under this arrangement Geest has no real Under this arrangement Geest has no real incentive to fight for cost reduction, since incentive to fight for cost reduction, since Geest costs are deducted”Geest costs are deducted”

St. Vincent’s Banana GrowersSt. Vincent’s Banana Growers St. Vincent’s economic St. Vincent’s economic

base is derived primarily base is derived primarily from agricultural from agricultural production, which accounts production, which accounts for 20% of the GDP and for 20% of the GDP and 80% of the merchandise 80% of the merchandise exportedexported

Banana plants now occupy Banana plants now occupy 41% of the 29,000 acres of 41% of the 29,000 acres of arable land on St. Vincentarable land on St. Vincent

Struggling Bananas and Struggling Bananas and Banana Growers in St. Banana Growers in St. VincentVincent

Export banana production Export banana production more than doubled between more than doubled between 1983 and 19921983 and 1992

However, the 1990s began a However, the 1990s began a dramatic decline in the dramatic decline in the banana industry, which banana industry, which struggled with a relative struggled with a relative devaluation of the European devaluation of the European currency and a drop in the currency and a drop in the green wholesale price for green wholesale price for Vincentian bananas Vincentian bananas

Growers and the BGAs were Growers and the BGAs were uncertain of the future of the uncertain of the future of the banana trade banana trade

Banana Production and its Banana Production and its Environmental ImpactsEnvironmental Impacts

A number of agricultural biocides have A number of agricultural biocides have been developed to maximize yields, been developed to maximize yields, produce crops efficiently, and produce crops efficiently, and to meet to meet supermarkets’ and consumers’ supermarkets’ and consumers’ expectations for blemish-free produceexpectations for blemish-free produce

Agroecological impacts from certain Agroecological impacts from certain biocides have resulted in varying degrees biocides have resulted in varying degrees of pest resistance and resurgence, and in of pest resistance and resurgence, and in persistence of biocide residues in the persistence of biocide residues in the natural environment, as well as chronic natural environment, as well as chronic health problems and poisonings health problems and poisonings associated with exposure associated with exposure

Environmental Impact of St. Environmental Impact of St. Vincent’s Bananas Vincent’s Bananas

In comparison to other Global South countries St. In comparison to other Global South countries St. Vincent is more restrictive in controlling the Vincent is more restrictive in controlling the importation if agrochemicalsimportation if agrochemicals

However, St. Vincent at the present has no However, St. Vincent at the present has no governmental standards and no means of detecting governmental standards and no means of detecting pesticide levels in food or water on the island pesticide levels in food or water on the island

20% of aerial sprays on St. Vincent never reach their 20% of aerial sprays on St. Vincent never reach their target, but are blown, settling down on houses, in target, but are blown, settling down on houses, in streams, in water catchments, on other agricultural streams, in water catchments, on other agricultural produce, and on humans and animalsproduce, and on humans and animals

Agriculturalists and others have commented upon a Agriculturalists and others have commented upon a severe reduction in wildlife species in aerial spray severe reduction in wildlife species in aerial spray areas areas

The future of Windward Island The future of Windward Island Banana ProducersBanana Producers

It is clear from the local level that both the It is clear from the local level that both the environment and the growers suffer from the unequal environment and the growers suffer from the unequal balance of power, inequities of production and balance of power, inequities of production and distribution, and an array of injusticesdistribution, and an array of injustices

The majority of banana growers are economically The majority of banana growers are economically worse off today than in the past as a result of the base worse off today than in the past as a result of the base price reduction, rising costs of production, price reduction, rising costs of production, deteriorating field conditions, banana expansion into deteriorating field conditions, banana expansion into marginal low-yielding lands, and the increased time marginal low-yielding lands, and the increased time required to produce, harvest, and package bananas to required to produce, harvest, and package bananas to meet Geest’s criteria and EU standards for quality fruitmeet Geest’s criteria and EU standards for quality fruit

Bananas are not necessarily the quintessential health Bananas are not necessarily the quintessential health food when their production is taken into considerationfood when their production is taken into consideration

Ultimately a fairer trade within bananas, Ultimately a fairer trade within bananas, where a fair price is received at the farm where a fair price is received at the farm gate, could enable growers to improve gate, could enable growers to improve their quality of life and that of their fields their quality of life and that of their fields

Steps must be taken to improve banana Steps must be taken to improve banana productivity, not only to meet the productivity, not only to meet the standards imposed by the European Union standards imposed by the European Union and the transnational corporations, but and the transnational corporations, but also to improve environmental conditions also to improve environmental conditions and growers’ safetyand growers’ safety

As banana eaters, we are all involved; it is As banana eaters, we are all involved; it is not just growers who must change their not just growers who must change their production strategies production strategies