Going bananas

[NewsWhore]

Once more, the issue of banana exports to Europe is garnering the attention of the agricultural sector. An apparent disarray of criteria among the different interest groups has relegated one of the chief non-traditional exports to the back burner. According to Hoy newspaper, there is a chance that the mighty multi-nationals such as Dole, Delmonte and Chiquita Brand (United Fruit) could push aside exports from the Caribbean and many of the African nations. The European Union's Director General for Agriculture and Rural Development has let slide any commitment towards the facilities to be offered to the ACP (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific) nations for their banana exports. Last year, the Dominican Republic exported 180,000 tons of bananas to the European market. The current "first come, first served" system instituted towards the end of 2006 favors the multi-nationals. The ACP nations are divided on the question of just which tariffs should be instated, and the DR, together with Jamaica and the Eastern Caribbean nations, is in favor of the current tariff rules.

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