A month ago, we told you that the Irish Company, Fyffes, which purchases all of Belize's export bananas, has been bought over by the Japanese owned, Sumitomo Corporation. That deal affects Belize because if Sumitomo has a new strategy, they might not be interested in Belize's banana industry.
That's why today, Minister of Agriculture Godwin Hulse met with the Fyffes managers at the Airport. Sumitomo has agreed to keep Fyffe's management team, and, according to Hulse, they have assured that their interest in Belize will endure. We understand that the Fyffes representatives were transiting through Belize, and that gave Hulse and other Agriculture officials an opportunity to meet with them before their flight out of the country.
When the meeting was over, Hulse granted us an interview, in which he briefly discussed the conversation with the management team:
Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Agriculture
"I just came out of a meeting with Fyffes. As you know they are the people who deal with our bananas in the UK and Europe and we've had a long standing relationship with Fyffes. They were here to renew the contract with the Banana Growers Association and also to look at issue of port and charges. As you know Fyffes has been bought completely by Sumitomo, is a huge Japanese company, and it is our understanding which is one of the clarity we wanted, whether in fact they will continue the relationship with Belize. The answer to that as I understand it at this point is definitely yes."
"In fact Fyffes, through Sumitomo is now keen to expand and that is also good news for Belize. As you know they also manage 40% of the bananas by virtue of managing the Go Bananas Farm. It is my understanding that they no longer manage that now, but it doesn't change the relationship with Belize as it exists at this time. So we are very hopeful that in fact we can continue this relationship. The negotiations with the growers and the port continues. But it looks very positive at this time."
Daniel Ortiz, 7News
"Are you able to say, was there any discussions about the cutting off of relationship with Mayan King Bana Farms in the south?"
Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Agriculture
"No, I understand that in fact the John Zabaneh Mayan King was really 13%-15%, it wasn't 25% and that the industry has begun to recover from that. In fact it is my understanding that the Go Bananas Farm was producing 1.6 million boxes and they are now up to 2.2 million. And with the other farms a portion of that loss from Mayan King is coming back. But no, we had no discussions on that today. That is a private sector thing. It's exclusively John Zabaneh and there were some things as I understand it he needed to do to satisfy being able to do business and those were an issue for him."
Daniel Ortiz, 7News
"Are you able to say if Belize will at some point meet with the new bosses of the Fyffes operation after the purchase is complete?"
Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Agriculture
"It is my understanding from today that Fyffes will continue, these managers will continue. Of course if it evolves that Sumitomo dumps Fyffes as managers and so we will have to speak with them. But for the time being the relationship continues with Fyffes."
European press reports say that Fyffes has received competition clearances from the European Commission 3 weeks ago for its deal with the Sumitomo Corporation.
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