Banana's round 4

As we already know, with the standard fruit co, chiquita, and dole, Banana's are a large part of Costa Rica's economy. According to Bananaexport.com (its in spanish), Costa Rica an area with the highest incidence of agrochemical sprays with 54 cycles of spraying. This amount of spraying is due to worry about a certain deadly fungus that is sweeping/ swept through central and south america, the fungus is called the black sigatoka fungus. The first outbreak of this deadly fungus was reported in 1972 in La Hima, Honduras. The fungus then spread north and south. This fungus is only one of the reasons the non-native banana plant requires so much agro chemical spraying in Central America. The only method to control the fungus is spraying, which account for about 25% to 30% of production costs. It has been reported that the fungus is continually fighting fungicides and more research is much needed.

In addition, i would like to go back to Chiquita's banana production and how they are the first to become more-sustainable and their relationship with the Rainforest Alliance. Chiquita currently owns 37,000 acres of banana farms in Panama, Costa Rica, Hinduras, and Guatemala. In 2004 alone, Chiquita shipped 136 million boxes of banana's to the US, Europe, Middle East, and Asia. Chiquita currently employs more than 25,000 people. Chiquita got their first farms certified by the rainforest alliance in 1994. Since 2000, the company has been rewarded with 100% Rainforest Alliance certification on all company owned farms, and 80% on independent farms that sell to Chiquita.

Chiquita ensures human rights and labor rights for all its workers. They have no child labor or forced labor. They ensure safe working conditions and freedom of association and collective bargaining. Compensation for workers meets at least legal or industry minimum standards.

Rainforest Alliance auditors visit farms at least once a year to ensure cooperation with strict environmental standards that include, using minimal pesticides, protection of wildlife, conservation of water and soil, environmental education, fair pay, adequate housing and safe working conditions, and zero tolerance for deforestation. In an effort to connect forests, Chiquita has planted at least 1 million trees along rivers, lakes, roads, and in residential and industrial areas. Water is monitored regularily and prevents organic waste from polluting streams and rivers. All agro chemicals used are approved for use on banana's by the US EPA and EU.