Panamanian Banana
Workers Denounce Abuse
Panamanian banana
producers are waiting
for authorities to
process their reports of
unfair practices against
the US Chiquita Brands
multinational company,
which forces them to
sell the fruit at a loss
and prevents them from
exporting to other
markets.
Workers of the farms in
Puerto Armuelles'
Multiple Service
Cooperative -COOSEMUPAR-,
Chiquiri Province, gave
away 50,000 banana boxes
to the local population
on Friday in protest.
Labor Union, said the US
firm, heir of the sadly
well-known United Fruit
Company, only pays $5
per box, based on a
ten-year contract signed
in 2003, but that means
a loss of $2.18 per box
for the producers, who
are demanding review of
the contract and a price
increase to $8.
We are working to give
the product away to
Chiquita, said the union
leader, saying they also
suffer the high cost of
oil, fertilizers and
other supplies and
cannot sell the fruit to
other wholesalers, such
as Spaniards, Italians,
or Russians willing to
pay more.
The Consumer
Protection's Free
Competition Authority
board of directors
reported it is
investigating whether
Chiquita International
Company, Ltd. benefits
from a monopolistic
practice in the contract
signed with COOSEMUPAR.
However this is a
meticulous process that
will take time, thus
Chiriqui's producers are
losing their patience
because, according to
their reports, Chiquita
wants to starve them to
death. |
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