Fresh produce terminal operators in Trieste, in north-east Italy, have accused their counterparts at the Slovenian port of Koper of employing unfair commercial practices in order to win a major contract to handle some 25,000 tonnes of bananas.
The bananas, destined for a major Russian importer, were apparently due to be handled at Terminal Frutta Trieste but, according to the centre's managing director Walter Preprost, the shipment was diverted when terminal operator Luka Koper allegedly sweetened their offer with ten days' free storage.
The bananas were bound for a number of eastern European markets, including Russia, Ukraine, Slovenia, Serbia and Bosnia.
Mr Preprost said the fruit would have provided employment not only for his company but also for operators at the nearby Quay 7, as some of the bananas were arriving in containers.
'They made an offer we couldn't match, something incredible and absolutely unsustainable for any private terminal operator which would go bust if it were to employ similar tactics,' commented Mr Preprost.
'Luka Koper and others can evidently only do this if they enjoy strong state support,' he continued.
In an attempt to resuce the deal, TFT is said to have made a counter offer of two days' complementary storage, something which, according to Mr Preprost, was at the limit of what the company could afford.
'But unsurprisingly it was no good and the traffic was diverted,' he added.
