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

Bananas, Are They the Quintessential Health Food? A Global /Local Perspective. Susan L. Andreatta. Haley Gessell. Focuses. Area of topic is located in the Caribbean: Windward Islands Island at focus is St. Vincent Fruit producer at focus is Geest

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

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  1. Bananas, Are They the Quintessential Health Food? A Global/Local Perspective Susan L. Andreatta Haley Gessell

  2. Focuses • Area of topic is located in the Caribbean: Windward Islands • Island at focus is St. Vincent • Fruit producer at focus is Geest • Objective of article: accounting for banana grower’s health and environment when considering this fruit a “healthy item” and also looking at how the European Union has influenced the market for bananas • Uses a Political Ecology view

  3. European Union • Top importer of banana’s  try to meet consumer demand for bananas = need for more supply from St. Vincent • Why St. Vincent? They are part of the ACP (Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific area) • Agreement between EU and ACP for imports of bananas: Lomé Convention

  4. Lomé Convention • Responsible for international trading agreements and is also the largest single aid program in the world • Allowed the EU to give special access for the ACP exports into their markets – a heavy play of favorites • Privileges for ACP

  5. Competition • Trade agreements removal of internal trade obstacles • Creation of The Single European Market: “the New Banana Regime” • Latin American bananas “dollar bananas” • New quotas for imports

  6. Windward Island Banana Industry • 27,000 registered banana growers represented by only four Banana Growers Associations (BGA) • Convenience of banana crops: environment, requirements, harvest, employment, environmental conflicts

  7. Bananas: “Green Gold” • Two BGA entered in to a contract with Geest in 1954: 100% of bananas produced would go to them • This deal fell short of expectations; deal was rearranged in 1995 • Later Geest would fail at being an exporter/importer of bananas.

  8. Quality Standards and Banana Growers • Bananas are dipped in fungicide and put directly in the shipping box on the field  helps reduce bruising  more $ • Bananas are inspected twice before payments are made to growers • Shift from producing quantity to quality • Increase in demand for quality led to labor problems and more chemical uses

  9. Decline in Banana Industry • 1990’s devaluation of the European currency and drop in banana prices • 1993-1994 dry spell  Loans • Cost to produce was now more then what was earned • Abandon fields, less demand for workers, increased use of chemicals

  10. Banana Fields Become Dependent on Inputs • Biocides • Improper use of chemicals  health consequences • Environmental impacts • Effects on banana yields • Increased use of land

  11. Quintessential Health Food? • Production needs to be considered • Consumers need to be aware and think beyond what they see on the shelves of stores • Changes for banana growers (and other fruit industries) come from changes in other parts of the global-local relationship: not just the responsibility of the banana grower to change the current situation

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