The Association of European Banana Producers (APEB) this week bemoaned the continuation of the so-called banana war.
European banana producers from the Canary Islands, Guadeloupe, Madeira and Martinique, representing some 15,000 producers, came out together against the likely adoption by the European Parliament of the Geneva agreement that is meant to end the war.
Following the signing of the agreement, Colombia and Peru succeeded in negotiating an additional reduction, from €114 a tonne to €75 a tonne.
According to APEB, such bilateral agreements have incensed Ecuador and Guatemala, who have demanded equal customs treatment for all producing countries sending to the EU market.
The APEB further suggested that Brazil's demand for a 200,000-tonne quota of zero tariff bananas would trigger fresh demands.
In a statement, the APEB said: 'As a consequence, and contrary to what the EU Commission claims, the Geneva agreement doesn't put an end to the banana war, since the EU Commission itself has agreed additional tariff reductions for certain countries, which are demanded today by the signatories of the Geneva agreement.
'The APEB regrets that the end of hostilities, which was the main advantage meant to result from the Geneva agreement no bananas, has been challenged by new concessions that are unjustified and benefit only the multinationals.'
