Banannas

Question 1

Facts about bananas (2)

Answer 1

Staple food for around 400 million people
Globally = 5th most traded agricultural commodity

Question 2

Where are they grown (3)

Answer 2

Hot, rainy lowlands of tropical regions
Average temp = 27°C
Annual rainfall = 2000-2500mm

Question 3

Commercial producing regions were

Answer 3

Central America + Caribbean

Question 4

Why + how are they treated (3)

Answer 4

Susceptible to diseases
Treated with chemicals throughout the production cycle
Commercial plants operated by large TNCs apply around 30kg of active ingredients
per hectare

Question 5

How to plants effect environment (3)

Answer 5

Deforestation
Waste = 2 tonnes per 1 tonne of banana
Loss of biodiversity = pollutants

Question 6

What groups dominate world banana trade (2++)

Answer 6

The ACP group – Africa, Caribbean and Pacific
‘Dollar producers’ of Central American republics controlled by large US TNCs = Ecuador + Columbia

Question 7

The exporters of banana trade (2+)

Answer 7

Exports = dominated by Latin America + Caribbean countries
Ecuador is the main exporting country at 28% in 2022

Question 8

Importers of bananas (2+)

Answer 8

Largest importers are the EU and the USA
America imports = 18% in 2022

Question 9

Worlds biggest Banana conglomerates (2)

Answer 9

ChiquitaFyffes = Ireland
Dole Food Company = United States

Question 10

How are B conglomerates operating (2)

Answer 10

Integrated vertically up the chain
Can exploit EoS = sell at very low price on US + EU market

Question 11

Production not controlled by TNC (3)

Answer 11

Smaller-scale family farms
Still major stakeholders in business (TNC)
Responsibility for + influence over = labour standards on the plantations they own or source from

Question 12

How has organisation of industry changed (2)

Answer 12

Big companies freed themselves of direct ownership of plantations
Instead = guaranteed supply contracts with producers

Question 13

Change in org for national companies (2)

Answer 13

Increasing number based in e.g. Ecuador sell their produce to either banana TNCs as distributors
Or directly to retailers in the developed countries e.g. Tesco

Question 14

Where is shiftin power

Answer 14

Retailers in the grocery sector in importing countries = increasingly dominating the supply chain

Question 15

What consequence as grocery market share conc. in hands of less retailers (2++)

Answer 15

Suppliers have little option but to accept conditions such as:
Low prices, discounts and delayed payments or risk being taken from the supplier list

Question 16

What solved the trade war

Answer 16

2009 Geneva Banana Agreement

Question 17

What was Lome convention + when (2)

Answer 17

1975
Made with 71 African, Caribbean and
Pacific countries (ACP countries) = many were banana producers

Question 18

What L convention give to countries (3)

Answer 18

Given special and differential treatment (SDT)
Tariff-free import quotas to supply EU markets
The idea was = develop former European colonies without using overseas aid

Question 19

What did Lome convention protect (3+)

Answer 19

The mainly smaller, family-run farms in ACP
Protect from competition with the large Latin American producers = bananas produced more cheaply on mechanised plantations

Question 20

What 1992 TNCs do war (2)

Answer 20

TNCs filed a complaint to the WTO that the EU practice was unfair trade
1997 = WTO ordered the EU To cease the discrimination

Question 21

What did Geneva agree (2)

Answer 21

Between the EU and 11 Latin American countries
The EU agreed to gradually reduce tariffs on Latin American bananas

Question 22

How many bananas come from large producers now

Answer 22

80% entering eu

Question 23

Race to bottom why (2)

Answer 23

Due to low prices paid to suppliers by supermarkets = larger companies want to relocate to west Africa
Lower legislation and labour costs

Question 24

What race to bottom

Answer 24

Reduce social and environmental standards

Question 25

Fair trade and organic bananas (3)

Answer 25

Help smaller-scale producers in the Caribbean and parts of Africa
Growing market of ethical consumers in richer nations = willing to pat more for certified product

Question 26

How many B in 2013 sold were fair trade

Answer 26

1 in 3 sold in uk

Question 27

What the El Guabo Association of Small Banana Producers (3)

Answer 27

Formed in 1997 in SW Ecuador
World’s largest producers of fairtrade bananas
Exports around 30,000 boxes a week to the USA and Europe

Question 28

Why the El Guabo Association of Small Banana Producers (2)

Answer 28

Before Fair trade the 339 family farms sold their bananas through intermediaries
Price = too low to cover basic costs

Question 29

Economic benefits of fair trade (3)

Answer 29

Stabilised incomes and improvements to standards of living
Guaranteed fair wage and long-term supply contract
Producers able to raise additional capital for reinvestment

Question 30

Social benefits of fair trade (3+)

Answer 30

Health care benefits to families of cooperatives = free use of El Guabo clinic
Support for the poorest groups = food baskets
Improved education provision = new school for children with special needs