Dole and Chiquita both quoted in report about country’s banana and pineapple industry, published this week by The Guardian
A report published by The Guardian newspaper has alleged that pesticides banned in the EU may still be in use in Costa Rica’s fruit export industry.
According to the article, research by the Regional Institute for Studies of Toxic Substances (IRET) at the National University of Costa Rica identified traces of fungicides and insecticides in the blood of women and children living close to some fruit plantations.
US multinational Dole, which sources bananas and pineapples from Costa Rica, denied specific allegations raised around a specific herbicide called paraquat at a production centre called Agroindustrial Piñas del Bosque – Finca La Virgen.
“La Virgen is an organic farm that does not use synthetic chemicals,” it is quoted as saying, before it adds: “Dole stopped using paraquat in all its pineapple farms in February 2008.”
Chiquita Brands International, which also runs plantations in the country, insisted: “All products used comply with the safety and quality standards set by current regulations. Similarly, the company operates in compliance with local labour rights laws.”
Grupo Acón-owned producer Limofrut, which was also named in the article, did not respond to the newspaper’s requests for comment.
