Stakeholders meet to discuss the way forward for bananas

Various stakeholders in the banana industry met here on Thursday, May 12, for a one-day emergency meeting to discuss the way forward for the troubled sector.{{more}}

The meeting included persons from the Ministry of Agriculture, the various market groups and banana farmers.

“There are several challenges that confront the industry to which we believe warrants a collective meeting to allow to make frank and futuristic decisions,” Reuben Robertson, Chief Agricultural Officer said.

A more liberalised trading scheme, the adverse effects of changing weather patterns and natural disasters were some of the problems identified.

Robertson added that after the severe drought and passage of Hurricane Tomas last year, strategies were put in place to begin exporting bananas again, but that it was crucial for stakeholders to sit and carefully chart the way forward.

Hon. Montgomery Daniel, Minister of Agriculture, contended that the banana industry was still very important and that it was still of significant importance to the economy of the country.

“During the heyday of the industry the economies of rural communities were very buoyant, that is not so today,” Daniel explained.

He, however, noted that banana exports generated EC$25 million, a figure he said was still an important economy base for rural communities.

In the wake of trying to get the industry back on solid footing amid the recent natural disasters, Daniel said that the question being asked is, ‘What is happening?’

“The ministry thought it best to have all the stakeholders at a meeting to understand where we are and to point the way forward,” said Daniel.

Despite a growing regional market, Daniel said that the European market remained the largest and, with more trade liberalisation practices coming into effect, competitors are going to be more aggressive.

This was why it was important to understand the requirements of the market, Daniel said.

He further stated that information he received on the rising cost of transportation meant that local farmers needed to begin producing.

But Bernard Cornibert, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of WINFRESH, formerly WIBDECO (Windward Islands Development and Exporting Company), stated that the focus needed to remain on understanding the market the Windward Islands are producing for and ensuring that they produce that type of crop.

He said that the past few years had been challenging and he anticipated the next few years to be no better.

Cornibert said that in a survey conducted in 2010, of all Fairtrade banana producers around the world, it had been discovered that the proceeds paid for fruits from the Windward Islands were the highest.

“This in itself is a challenge, because you are trying to sell the most expensive product in the world,” he explained.

But he said that the real problem for the industry was the inconsistencies in the quality.

Issues such as excessive handling and post ripening had been areas of concern.

He noted that from time to time there would be issues with the quality; however, issues such as mixed grades and ripening meant that the affected boxes of bananas needed to be repackaged.

“This adds to the cost and it’s a bigger problem than crown rot,” Cornibert explained.

“We cannot sweep these things under the carpet,” he said.

Cornibert said that solutions to issues such as those he identified were crucial to the future of the industry.

“There is a market for bananas; we have to produce for the market,” Cornibert said.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said that the challenges plaguing the industry warranted all the relevant stakeholders to work harder.

“If we fight with each other and among each other we will not go anywhere,” Gonsalves said. (DD)