Chiquita Bananas

"Miss Chiquita"

Last week we visited the Chiquita Banana plantation. The first thing you notice when driving up is obviously the rows upon rows of Banana plants, but there was also some untouched forest still around. We learned when we got there that it was all part of Chiquitas environmental program, called the Nature and Community Project, aimed at preserving wildlife and educating children about environmental concerns. When we arrived at Chiquita we were greeted and ushered into a small room where we watched a video explaining the program and what it is Chiquita does. It is evident that Chiquita is doing much more to help the environment than most banana companies even though they still are doing harm through the clearing of land and use of chemicals for pesticides for example. though they claim that the chemicals they use are the least harmful possible and they take many measures to ensure the safety of their workers.

Grupo Nogua Dancers

One of the main things they are doing to help the environment and local community is to encourage and support small businesses in the area. We witnessed some of these business ventures through the crafts items, hand painted fabrics, and handmade paper products found in the gift shop on site. We also participated in a show by the Grupo Nogua, a group of women whose business is to inform people about Chiquita and banana production and also entertain visitors to the plantation. The show, though in Spanish and hard for some of us to follow, was very entertaining and it is clear that the women loved the fact that they were able to have the opportunity to do such a thing with Chiquita's support.

Banana Production Line

We watched a banana production line, from bringing in the bunches, assessing the quality and weeding out the bad or unfit for consumer purchase, washing, packaging, and packing for shipping. It was really incredible to see the tons and tons of bananas coming through and see how efficiently the people and the processes were throughout each stage in the production line. We also got to walk through part of the plantation and see the banana plants, tied down with twine for support, with bananas covered in blue plastic bags for added protection against pests. We asked our guides about what would happen to the plastic after the bunch was picked and they explained that each bag is indeed recycled. Some of the plastic bags go into making plastic paving stones or bridges for the pathways through the plantation and other bags are actually made into the twine that holds the trees in place. I was relieved to hear about the recycling efforts after witnessing what seemed like tons of bags throughout the field.

Bananas covered in plastic bags

We also learned that Chiquita is part of the Rainforest Alliance. This is especially impressive when you read the list of requirements it must meet in order to be part of the Alliance. Auditors visit the farm each year to make sure they are following the guidelines and being responsible. They plant trees and do what they can to help preserve the natural land around them. They are also part of a larger program aimed at connecting the rainforest throughout the entire country with natural coridors for the animals to travel and thrive in.

For being such a corporate giant and considering all the bad things surrounding banana production, I was impressed with Chiquita's efforts at sustainability and environmental responsibility. It is also reassuring that they treat their workers with such respect, paying above minimum legal wages, and taking extreme measures to ensure their safety under dangerous working conditions.