Bananas are a diet and a million-dollar industry. In which countries do bananas grow, how do they reproduce and what is their life cycle in nature? Banana importing countries

Who among us has not eaten bananas? This fruit is very popular all over the world due to its wonderful taste. It is consumed both fresh and as part of various dishes and salads. At the same time, the demand for bananas is growing every year, as is their production. However, have you ever wondered how bananas grow, in which countries they are produced most? What do bananas grow on? And in general, what are they, these gifts of nature?

Answers to these questions and many more interesting and useful information are given below.

Classmates

It has long been a stereotype among ordinary people that bananas grow on palm trees and in conditions wildlife. But this is not entirely true.

It may seem strange, but from a scientific point of view, banana is a perennial herbaceous plant, and its fruits are multi-seeded and thick-skinned berries.

The question immediately arises - where are these seeds? The thing is that they are found in wild fruits that are oval in shape and require peeling. And those that are sold on supermarket shelves are the product of the work of breeders, the cultural form of this berry they created. In total, there are more than 40 species and 500 varieties of bananas (Latin name - Musa).

The most common cultivated banana varieties are:

• Lady finger;
• Gros Michel;
• Dwarf Cavendish;
• Giant Cavendish;
• Lakatan;
• Valerie;
• Robusta;
• Mysore.

Edible varieties are divided into 2 large groups. The first is bananas, which have sweet fruits for consumption raw. The second category includes plantains, which produce starchy fruits for subsequent culinary processing.

Bush with green bananas

The banana has a structure characteristic of herbaceous plants, namely: powerful roots and a stem with leaves, from 6 to 20 pieces. It is the second tallest grass in the world (after bamboo).

Do they grow on trees or not?

What tree do bananas grow on? Good question. After all, if you look from the outside, it seems like a banana. However, as already mentioned, the plant itself is herbaceous, that is, it is not a tree, although it grows up to 8 m (higher than many trees). The diameter of the stem reaches 40 cm.

Banana leaves can reach a length of up to 3 m and a width of 50 cm, and they do not grow on branches, but directly from the trunk. This ratio of stem and leaf sizes is typical for herbs, but not for trees.

Banana leaves grow from a short tuberous stem (found underground) to form a visible or false stem.

The root system of the plant deepens by 1.5 m, while spreading 4.5-5 m to the sides, like most grasses. The leaves are layered on top of each other; a feature of their structure is a large longitudinal vein running through the center. The color of the leaves depends on the variety; they can be completely green, have dark burgundy spots, or be two-colored: green on top and crimson underneath.

Bananas grow in clusters, their number can reach up to 100 pieces. The greatest productivity is observed at high humidity, although this can lead to the development of fungal diseases. The presence of sunlight is also very important.

Life cycle in nature

The life cycle of a banana is typical for herbaceous plants - development of a false stem, flowering, fruiting and dying of leaves.

After the first shoots appear (during seed propagation), rapid development begins. In nature, bananas grow very quickly - in just 9-10 months, their false stems reach a height of 8 m. At this age, the reproductive period (phase) in the life of the plant begins. A characteristic sign of this stage is the cessation of the formation and growth of new leaves.

Instead, a flowering stem begins to develop inside the false trunk. After 2-3 weeks, a large purple bud-shaped inflorescence is formed. Under its base are bananas, which in the future will become fruits. The largest flowers are female, they are at the top. A little lower are the bisexual flowers, and at the very bottom are the male flowers, they are the smallest.

Pollination of female flowers is carried out by:

• sunbirds;
• tupai (small animals similar to squirrels);
• insects (butterflies, bees, wasps);
• bats (at night).

The latter are attracted by the specific smell of the inflorescences. As it develops, a cluster of fruits is formed, resembling a hand with many fingers. After ripening, they are literally attacked by the same animals and birds, thanks to which pollination occurred.

When fruiting is completed, the false stem dies, after which a new one begins to grow.

How do they reproduce?

There are 2 ways how bananas reproduce:

• using seeds;
• vegetative method.

Vegetative propagation is a faster and more reliable method than seed propagation. Biologically, the process is as follows: after the plant bears fruit, its above-ground part dies off, and the root grows to the side, creating new bushes.

Bananas are propagated by suckers and parts of the rhizome (rhizome). The most tenacious and productive offspring are formed during the fruiting of the mother plant; during this period they have the maximum supply of nutrients. As for planting rhizomes, it is best to use pieces weighing from 1.5 to 2 kg of whole rhizomes dug up from old plantations

Planting is best done at the beginning of the rainy season.

In nature, bananas reproduce using seeds located inside the fruit. At the same time, the wild banana fruit itself is inedible. It can contain from 50 to 100 seeds, sometimes their number reaches 200. Seeds germinate after falling into the ground (for example, when a ripe fruit falls). This takes time, because they are covered with a thick peel. After about 2 months, a green shoot will appear and the plant will begin to develop.

Cultivated varieties are propagated only by vegetative methods and with human help. The reason for this is the complete absence of seeds in the edible banana fruit.

Due to vegetative propagation, cultivated banana varieties do not renew their gene pool, as a result of which they have little resistance to fungal diseases.

Soils with a high humus content and good drainage are best suited for plantation cultivation. If the drainage is poor, then the risk of infection by the same fungi increases many times over. To maintain high yields, it is advisable to use potassium and nitrogen fertilizers.

In what countries do they grow?

Banana is one of the oldest plants cultivated by man. As the Russian scientist Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov established during his many years of research, his homeland is Southeast Asia and the Malay Archipelago. In this section we will look at where the banana grows and in which countries it is produced most.

In what countries do bananas grow? Nowadays, they are grown in at least 107 countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa with humid and tropical climates. It is used as:

• food product (fresh and in form);
• base for making banana beer and wine;
• raw materials for fiber production;
• ornamental plant.

Of course, the main purpose of banana fruits is. The leader in the consumption of these fruits per capita is the small African country of Burundi - here each citizen eats almost 190 kg per year. It is followed by Samoa (85 kg), Comoros (almost 79 kg) and Ecuador (73.8 kg). It is clear that in these countries this crop is one of the staple foods. For comparison: on average, each Russian consumes just over 7 kg of bananas annually.

Banana crop ranks 4th in the world among cultivated plants, after rice, wheat and corn. Not in last resort this is due to its high calorie content - 91 kcal per 100 g of product, which is higher than, for example, potatoes (83 kcal per 100 g). The only drawback is how long it takes for a banana to grow. After all, before flowering begins, you need to wait 8 or more months until the plant itself ripens.

The export of bananas, which became possible with the advent of refrigeration at the beginning of the 20th century, eventually became highly profitable business and remains so in our time.

The list of leaders in banana production for 2013 (in millions of tons) looks like this:

1. India (24.9).
2. China (10.9).
3. Philippines (9.3).
4. Ecuador (7).
5. Brazil (6.9).

Banana products are imported mainly from European countries, the USA and Canada. The leader in this direction, the United States, purchases almost $2.5 billion worth of bananas every year.

Here you should immediately answer the common question “Do bananas grow in Africa?” As noted, they are native to tropical and humid countries, so yes. However, there are not as many of them here as in Asian and Latin American countries - the leader on the African continent is Tanzania, which produced 2.5 million tons in 2013.

Useful video

Bananas in Russia have long ceased to be exotic, but not many people still know where and how these fruits grow. Meanwhile, bananas are not only sweet fruits, but also useful stems and beautiful decorative flowers:

Conclusion

Above we looked at how bananas grow and where, as well as some features of their structure and development. Let's summarize the main results:

1. Banana is not only a tasty fruit, but also an interesting plant. It is herbaceous, although the size of this “grass” misleads people, giving rise to the myth that bananas grow on trees.
2. Cultivated varieties can only be propagated with the help of humans, but they have wonderful taste characteristics and are devoid of seeds inside the fruits
3. The importance of banana culture for humanity is difficult to overestimate: in many countries, banana is traditionally one of the main food products, as well as the main export product. Therefore, states where bananas grow are constantly increasing production volumes. This means that the importance of this culture will only increase in the future.

Bananas grow in countries where tropical climates prevail, i.e. near the equator, because they love warmth. These include countries in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific, etc. Many countries in these regions grow bananas as their staple crop. internal product food, and only about a fifth of them are engaged in the export of bananas on an industrial scale.

The majority of bananas sold in Europe, the USA and Russia (about 80%) are exported to Latin American countries; the rest of the bananas grown and sold are to West African countries. The main feature of the countries where bananas grow is their backwardness in economic and social development.

Despite this state of affairs, states exporting bananas do not take the lead in terms of cultivation volumes. India, China and the Philippines are in first place in the production and, accordingly, consumption of bananas. This is understandable; the huge population of these countries is mainly engaged in agriculture- the only source of food for the poorest classes.

The main players in the world banana market are Ecuador, Costa Rica, Colombia and Guatemala and other countries called banana dollar countries. These states are the main partners of the world's banana corporations, and as a result, they are traditionally influenced by the American dollar.

Plantations where bananas grow.

Typically, farms in Latin where bananas are grown are large monoculture plantations. They demand big investment funds for the construction of roads, irrigation canals, communications. On modern banana plantations it is used large number fertilizers, which allows you to get up to 80 tons of bananas from 1 hectare.

Ecuador, Colombia and Peru are the only Latin American countries where, along with large farmers, there are also several thousand small banana farms. They play an important role in banana exports and act as a buffer: large exporters buy up the products of small plantations when demand for bananas is high.

Working conditions on banana plantations are very poor in terms of wages and social conditions, and the use of large amounts of chemicals has a detrimental effect on the health of workers and the environment.

Caribbean bananas tend to grow in small family farms ah, using more acceptable production methods than on the huge plantations of Latin America. The banana trade is critical to the economy of the Caribbean region, providing foreign exchange to solve social and economic problems.

However, over the past 10 years, about 20,000 family banana farms have ceased to exist, unable to withstand competition with cheaper Latin American bananas, or suffering significant losses due to regular hurricanes.

Bananas have long been no longer considered exotic on the table of Russian residents. It can be bought at any store or fruit and vegetable market. It has become such a familiar fruit that few people ask the question: where do bananas come from to Russia and how did they get into our country in the first place?

What is a banana?

The banana, as strange as it may sound, is considered a herb, not a tree. It ranks second in size after bamboo among all existing grasses. This is a fairly popular fruit that has spread throughout the world. Exists huge amount varieties that determine the shape and size of the banana. Basically, it has an elongated cylindrical shape with a length of 3 to 40 cm and a thickness of 2-4 cm. All varieties are divided into 3 groups:

1. Fodder varieties are low-value varieties that grow in unpretentious conditions and are used as livestock feed.
2. Table fruits are larger fruits and can reach up to 50 cm in length. They are steamed, fried and made into chips. Such bananas are rarely exported.
3. Dessert bananas are yellow or green, straight and faceted, up to 35 cm long. It is dessert bananas that we see on store shelves.

History of appearance in Russia

For a long time, people in our country did not know what a banana was. The first time the USSR purchased a large batch of bananas was in 1938. At that time, few people suspected the outbreak of the World War, and the successfully completed industrialization made it possible to use part of the proceeds in foreign currency to purchase exotic goods. By the end of 1939, this fruit was sold in almost all stores in the capital, and a little later it appeared in other regions of the USSR.

Bulk purchases began around 1950. By this time, the country's economy had practically recovered after the long war, and a record rate of economic growth was recorded for the first time since 1945. But the most important thing is that the sphere of influence includes the countries in which those same bananas grow. Most had no idea where bananas were brought to Russia from. At that time, the main suppliers were China and Vietnam. Later they were replaced by Latin America, and by 1970 Ecuador was already supplying about 9 thousand tons of bananas.

Where do bananas come from to Russia?

The bulk of bananas, as before, are supplied to Russia by Ecuador - about 1 million tons per year. This country has an ideal climate for growing bananas, and the number of plantations there is simply off the charts. Some of them have already been bought by our Russian entrepreneurs, who supply their products to Russia. Bananas are brought to Russia green, then they go through a carbonation procedure and end up on the counter already yellow. The cost of grown bananas is low, so Ecuador is a leader among suppliers. It is followed by China and Türkiye.

What are the benefits of banana?

Due to its high nutritional value, banana is considered a high-calorie dish, but at the same time is considered a dietary fruit. It contains a large number of enzymes, and in combination they improve digestion. Banana is rich in vitamin C, although it does not taste sour at all. Ascorbic acid is a powerful antioxidant, which slows down the aging process of the body. Vitamin A is necessary for good vision, normal heart function, and B vitamins are responsible for the condition of the skin, hair and nails. It is for this reason that banana is often included in hair masks; it adds shine to hair and prevents split ends. This is probably why residents of the “banana countries” have gorgeous hair, from where bananas are brought to Russia.

Magnesium and potassium, which are part of this familiar fruit, help the functioning of the heart, liver and brain. If you combine a sports lifestyle and actively include bananas in your diet, you can easily build muscle mass. In addition, it can increase sexual activity not only in men, but also in women. In Ecuador, where bananas are brought from to Russia, residents use it every day and prepare all kinds of dishes from it.

Do bananas grow in Russia?

In our country, bananas can be found not only in botanical gardens. A little south of the city of Sochi, the northernmost banana of the Basio variety grows, or it is also called Japanese. It has edible red fruits, but, unfortunately, in our harsh conditions they do not ripen. By winter, the green part of the grass dies off, and by spring new ones, up to 2.5 meters long and 60 cm wide, actively grow from the growing points. It is also worth noting that over the past few years, some varieties of bananas have begun to be grown on the southern coast of the Crimean peninsula. Maybe in the future the supplier will be not only Ecuador, from where bananas are brought to Russia, but also Crimea?

Banana dishes

This exotic fruit, it turns out, is eaten not only fresh. In the countries from which bananas are brought to Russia , it is fried, baked and dried. In addition, due to its sweet taste it is classified as a dessert product, so banana is added to confectionery and served with ice cream. In Latin America, pieces of fried banana are a common side dish. In Venezuela, the national dish is considered to be yo-yo - soft cheese secured with a wooden stick between fried banana slices. And residents of the Philippines prepare ketchup from bananas with the addition of all kinds of spices.

Bananas are the most popular fruit in the world. From this it is obvious that the demand for your product is guaranteed, but how to turn the green fruits on the palm tree into a tasty offer for the consumer?

Market

There is no need to talk about the stability of the “banana” business. Seasonality and constantly changing supply volumes of competitors take their toll. 6 months a year the fruit market is full of seasonal goodies and the banana takes a backseat. But with the onset of cold weather and until the beginning of summer, suppliers have the opportunity to make up for losses, since at this time of year the banana becomes almost the only fruit available to the general consumer. Therefore, starting in December, prices for bananas rise sharply, and within one week, prices for the fruit can change in the 20-30 percent range. But the demand market is growing steadily, adding 5% annually.

As for the players Russian market, then today there are three leaders who have been supplying for quite a long time and have managed to capture dominant positions: JFC (Bonanza), Banex Group (Prima-Donna) and Tander (Magnit supermarket chain). Their experience and supply volumes provoke quite fierce competition in the banana market.

On average, as experts note, “bringing” one container of everyone’s favorite fruit, taking into account the purchase of green “raw materials”, its transportation and finishing finished product, costs about $20,000, earning about $30,000. But the risks of “not selling” are quite high, since the implementation time is calculated by the number of fingers on one hand.

Suppliers

Today, 90% of banana sales worldwide are carried out by only 5 companies: American: Chiquita, Dole; Del Monte is Chilean, Fyffes is Irish, and Noboa (or “Bonita”) is Ecuadorian. But delivery to Russia from most of these countries will be too expensive, which will undoubtedly affect the cost of the goods, therefore, it makes sense to look for manufacturers who are closest geographically. From this point of view, the most profitable suppliers for cooperation are from China and India. In addition, the leaders in terms of the amount of product imported to Russia are: Costa Rica, the Philippines, Colombia and Ecuador.

The Indian company Naushie Exports offers to purchase bananas in minimum quantities of 1,540 boxes at a cost of $3 per box (approximately 13.5 kg), that is, the minimum order amount should be $4,620, which, adjusted for the exchange rate, is approximately 150,000 rubles.

Chinese manufacturer Xinfeng Tianye Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. Supplies fresh bananas in minimum quantities of 25 tons at a cost of $300-$500 per ton. Therefore, the minimum order amount will be $10,000 (approximately 320,000 rubles).

How to contact?

There are specialized Internet portals for communication with suppliers. One of the most successful and famous is the alibaba.com portal. Using easy-to-use navigation, on the site you can select the desired product category, then the product itself, review the offers of suppliers and contact them there. In addition, suppliers publish their data: company addresses, phone numbers, so direct contact can be made.

In this case, you determine the procedure for the agreement directly with the supplier.

Documents

For a business related to the import of goods into Russia, the production and organizational form of LLC is optimal. Therefore, before contacting suppliers, it is necessary to register legally. Activities for the import of vegetables, fruits and food products, in accordance with the law Russian Federation and the List of licensed imported goods, is not subject to licensing.

Fruits imported into the country are subject to mandatory declaration and certification in accordance with Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of December 1, 2009 No. 982. The declaration confirms the compliance of the imported goods with the required state standards, and the certificate means compliance with the required safety standards.

You will have to receive a declaration each time you import a consignment of goods. The declaration is issued only to residents of the Russian Federation, therefore, the applicant for the declaration can be either Russian manufacturer, or a Russian representative of a foreign supplier, officially registered on the territory of the Russian Federation, or an importer or seller registered in the country.

The cost of obtaining a declaration of conformity is on average 15,000 rubles. The cost of certification for each batch will be about 7,500 rubles.

It is important to note that the volumes of the supplied product are not limited by the legislation of the Russian Federation.

Customs duties and taxes

Goods imported into the country, taking into account the cost of delivery to the border of the Russian Federation, are subject to a customs duty of 20%. In addition, a value added tax (VAT) of 18% is imposed on the amount of the cost of the goods + customs duties.

Trading activities obliges the entrepreneur to make the following tax payments: profit tax in the amount of 20% of income, VAT difference, contribution of insurance funds to the Pension Fund, Fund social insurance Russian Federation and compulsory health insurance funds in the amount of 34% and income tax individuals at the rate of 13%.

Transportation

Transportation and logistics take an average of 4-5 months. As a rule, bananas are sent from the country of origin by sea on a refrigerator ship. The cost of such transportation, for example, from China to the port of St. Petersburg is up to $4,000 per container for 20-foot containers and up to $6,000 for 40-foot containers. In terms of time, such transportation takes from 30-45 days.

Logistics transportation by rail is the next stage of transportation. Depending on the distance of the destination city from the port, the cost of delivery for a 20-foot container varies from 50 to 110 thousand rubles, for a 40-foot container from 70 to 200 thousand rubles.

Specifics

Oddly enough, bananas ripen not on a palm tree, which would be logical, but already in a warehouse. The process is as follows: bananas are picked from the palm tree in large bunches (50-150 fruits) 4 months after the fruits appear. At that time they are still completely green and one bunch weighs about 80-90 kg. After that, they are washed, divided into small bundles that we are used to seeing in supermarkets, and selected on the basis of “what looks better than the rest,” discarding those fruits that have spots. Then packed into protective fiberboard boxes of 18 kg each and distributed worldwide in refrigerated units.

Transportation of goods is one of the most important stages, since it is during this period that there is a high risk that the goods may deteriorate.

In order to avoid premature ripening, bananas are transported in the holds of refrigerated ships, where the temperature is maintained at 14 °C. The goods also arrive ashore unripe. Here it is important to maintain the same conditions for the fruits in which they were delivered to the point of arrival. Special refrigerated containers come to the rescue, in which bananas must be delivered to the warehouse under the same temperature environment of 14 - 14.5 ° C. The main thing at this stage is to deliver to the destination as quickly as possible in order to avoid unnecessary losses.

Failure to comply with the temperature regime even by a couple of degrees entails the appearance and spread of various diseases in the fruit, so the importance of this aspect should not be underestimated. Storage, for example, in conditions with temperatures below the recommended 14 degrees, entails the death of individual cells, which leads to blackening of the fruit. This process gives the fruit a completely non-marketable appearance.

How can you make bananas ripen? Bananas are ripened artificially using ethylene, which is supplied to the storage chamber from cylinders. The ethylene concentration in the chamber should be 1 m3 of ethylene per 1000 m3 of air. Many ethylene systems supply gas to fruit automatically within 24 hours. The gas must reach the fruit throughout the day to be effective on the fruit, so if you don’t have an automatic supply system, make sure that the chambers are sealed.

You can store already ripe fruits in the same chamber, maintaining temperature regime and humidity level. By the way, about humidity. When ripening bananas, the relative humidity in the chamber should be high, since fruits ripened in an environment with insufficient humidity are more vulnerable to damage.

Insurance

According to Article 27 Federal Law"ABOUT state regulation foreign trade activities", insurance of commercial risks when participating in foreign trade relations of the country is carried out on a voluntary basis under insurance contracts with Russian or foreign insurers.

Implementation

For the sale of bananas, the best option is cooperation with large supermarkets And grocery stores. But there are some nuances here. If you are supplying goods to supermarkets, as a rule, your only task is to organize the transportation of goods to the point of delivery to the store's warehouse. This means that the most difficult stage at which bananas ripen does not concern you, since some large supermarkets already have equipment for appropriate storage.

You can also organize a fruit warehouse for selling batches retail outlets – small shops and markets. This option requires you to have full technical equipment - from refrigerated containers to refrigerated storage chambers.

It is worth considering that both large and small retailers prefer quality over price. The competition is quite high, despite the fact that the product needs to be sold very quickly. Therefore, if there is a small difference in price, the product will most likely be chosen best quality, even if at a high price.

Equipment

As mentioned above, bananas are delivered from the producing country in the holds of refrigerated ships. To own one, especially on initial stage not at all necessary. I have them all transport companies. For this stage of transportation, you will need small containers in which the goods will be packaged. There are special modifications for bananas that take into account the specifics of transportation. These are offered by the manufacturer of reusable plastic containers, the UTZ company. The volume of each container is 20 liters.

Next stage transportation – transportation of bananas across railway in refrigerated containers from the port to the city where the warehouse is located. Containers can be rented, including from transport companies, but there is also the option of purchasing your own. In terms of size, refrigerated containers come in three types: 20, 40 and 45 feet, with a volume of 28-30, 66-69 and 76-86 cubic meters, respectively. The price range, depending on the size, starts from 210,000 rubles (Refcontainer company).

For arranging a gas chamber necessary equipment is:

• refrigeration equipment(compressor unit, air coolers and condensers);
• thermos banana carbonation chamber (walls, ceiling and doors);
• ventilation system;
• ethylene supply system;
• humidification system;
• dosing control processor and remote monitoring and control system

The main suppliers of such equipment to Russia are FABS refrigeration and the Everest Group of Companies.

The approximate cost of the equipment depends on the size of the chamber being manufactured.

The cost of a sandwich panel (60 mm thick) starts from 5,500 euros; the purchase of a refrigeration and heating unit will cost up to 17,000 euros; a forced ventilation system will cost 1100 - 2200 euros; ethylene generator (with concentrate) - approximately 1700; the cost of an air humidifier in the chamber is 5 l/hour. Ranges from 3000 to 6000.

The camera control panel costs on average 900 - 1050 euros, sectional heat-insulated sealed doors 2.8 x 2.6 m - 2600 - 5200 euros, for additional materials(installation kit, concrete, metal, etc.) will cost up to 2500.

Taking into account installation work The cost of the finished camera ranges from 35,000 - 37,000 euros. There is also the practice of ordering turnkey aeration chambers.

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Union of Banana Exporting Countries

The Union of Banana Exporting Countries (SP. Union de Paises Exportadores de Banano - UPEB) was created in 1973. Inspired by the example of OPEC, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama have teamed up in an attempt to form a community of major banana producers to coordinate exports to North American and European markets. The Philippines was the only key supplier of bananas to the US market that was not included in this union. In the 1980s Venezuela joined UPEB. The headquarters of UPEB is located in Panama City (Panama). The official languages ​​are German and English.

It should be noted that at that time bananas were supplied to Europe mainly from the former French and British colonies of the Caribbean, which had privileged access to the European market, and the largest monopolists in the US market were: United Brands Company, Standard Fruit and the Del Monte Corporation " UPEB participants proposed a special export tax - $1 for every forty-pound box of bananas exported. The monopolies opposed and threatened to abandon their activities. There was also a global glut of bananas at the time, and Ecuador, the leading producer, refused to support such a high tax. The export tax was agreed upon at $0.25.

Due to the EU's restrictive policy, which prevents the free export of bananas from the UPEB countries, a real “banana war” has broken out between the European Union and the Union of Banana Exporting Countries.

The European Union is one of the most significant importers of bananas in the world. The EU imports about the same amount of bananas as the US, which is more than three times the banana imports of the third largest banana-consuming country, Japan. Moreover, only in the EU there are tariff and quantitative restrictions on the import of bananas. European countries (England and France were especially notable for this) when importing bananas, gave preference to supplier companies from countries that were previously their colonies. This helped achieve political goals - with the help of banana purchases, those regimes that were loyal to the former metropolises were supported. But the losses were borne by transnational trading companies, most of which were based in the USA.

As a result American companies lost approximately $190 million, the United States imposed sanctions that cost the Europeans $500 million (German coffee producers and French manufacturers of briefcases and handbags were particularly affected).

In 1975, the European Economic Community signed international treaty with 48 former colonies (mostly those of France and Britain). In accordance with the agreement, these countries were provided with duty-free trade in bananas within the EEC. This agreement concerned mainly African countries and Caribbean countries: Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Suriname, Somalia, etc. At the same time, bananas produced in the UPEB member countries, as already noted, were subject to import duties and quotas. Other requirements were also introduced, for example, the import of bananas from these countries was licensed.

European authorities motivated their decision by the need to support African countries for which the export of exotic fruits is their only source of income. EU trade restrictions have become a heavy blow to the American banana business also because it is going through difficult times due to overproduction of this type of agricultural product. Today, Ecuador alone is able to satisfy 40% of Europe's banana needs.

The conflict was resolved only in April 2001, when the EU came to an agreement with the United States and Ecuador. The main agreement reached can be considered the EU's commitment to introduce, from January 1, 2006, only a tariff regime for bananas from UPEB countries without quotas and import licensing, as well as a significant reduction in the “preferential” quota (i.e. quotas for former colonies).

The UPEB countries, especially Ecuador and Costa Rica, which rank 2nd and 3rd among banana exporting countries (after the Philippines), condemned the preferential policies implemented towards former colonies in Africa. EU import duties were considered unfair, and the WTO obliged the EU to bring them into line with global ones. trade agreements. Representatives of the Ecuadorian banana sector have asked the EU to provide support in the fight against the campaign that violates the principles of free trade and to remove the system of import tariffs. They also stated that they regard the measures imposed on the import of bananas from African, Pacific and Caribbean countries as illegal and illegal.

Officially, the “banana wars” ended only after a meeting of representatives of the 35 countries involved in the dispute at the WTO summit in Geneva in July 2008. The tariff for the import of bananas into the EU is proposed to be set by 2016 at 114 euros per ton instead of the current 176. Already in 2010 prices should be lowered to 148 euros per forty-pound box.

The new “banana” agreement between UPEB and the EU was signed in 2009. According to statements by international experts, the tariff program proposed by the European Union regarding tariff rates for banana supplies is insufficient and unsatisfactory for Latin American exporters, but an official response from UPEB has not yet been received.

Today, member countries of the Union of Banana Exporters account for 50% of the world exports of this product. The decisions they make regarding the supply of bananas to the world market, in particular on conducting research into the possibility of expanding banana consumption or creating a common marketing company, can be classified as multilateral. Main markets: USA, European Union, Russia, New Zealand, Far East, Japan and Chile. UPEB countries also export processed foods such as banana puree, banana flour, dehydrated bananas and banana chips. Kro4.6. International organizations metal producers and exporters

In addition, UPEB countries offer organic bananas available throughout the year.

Today, Ecuador already exports about 20% of its bananas to Russia. Russian “fruit kings” are consistently turning their companies into vertically integrated structures. Since there are practically no “free” banana plantations left in Africa and Latin America, Russian businessmen began to buy land in Ecuador.

The share of production in the cost structure of bananas does not exceed 30% on average. The rest is due to transportation (35%), customs duties(20%), costs of maintaining a permanent office in Ecuador and packaging (15%). Having our own raw material base allows us to insure ourselves against speculation in the Ecuadorian banana market. Therefore, cooperation Russian business and UPEB are extremely promising.

For more details, see http://www.foodretail.ru, www.fruitnews.ru