Commission staff working document including factual information accompanying the Biennial Report on the Special Framework of Assistance for traditional ACP suppliers of bananas from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council {COM(2010) 103}
Date: 2010-03-17
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: ACP countries, aid system, competitiveness, financial aid, import, most favoured nation, production aid, tariff quota, tropical fruit

EN 

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 17.3.2010 
SEC(2010)331 final 

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 

Including Factual Information 

Accompanying the 

Biennial Report on the Special Framework of Assistance for traditional ACP 
suppliers of bananas 
from the Commission to the European parliament and the Council 

{COM(2010) 103} 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Table of contents 

1A: SFA Use of Funds; Improving Competitiveness 

1B: SFA Use of Funds; Diversification  

2: Commitments and disbursements per calendar year 

3: Implementation details per beneficiary country 

4: Banana – European Union Imports 1993 to 2008 

5: Recommendations and Actions taken by SFA Beneficiaries 

6: Impact per beneficiary country 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annex 1A: SFA PROGRAMME - USE OF FUNDS

Country

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Total

Amount

Type

Amount

Type

Amount

Type

Amount

Type

Amount

Type

Amount

Type

Amount

Type

Amount

Type

Amount

Type

Amount

Type

Belize

3.10

(1)

3.10

(2/6)

3.00

(1)

2.70

(2/3)

3.20

(2/11/14)

2.93

(2/11/14)

2.49

(4/7/14)

1.22

(2,3,14)

0.24

(13,17)

0.00

(-)

21.98

Boosting Productivity

Cameroon

6.20

(1/2/5/11)

5.70

(1/2/5/11)

5.60

(1/2/5/11)

5.10

(1/2/5/11)

4.50

(1/2/3/5/6/
11)

Cape Verde

Dominica

0.00

5.49

(-)

(1/14)

0.00

5.23

(-)

(1/14)

0.00

0.00

Grenade

0.94

(1/5/8/14)

0.50

(1/14)

0.00

(-)

(-)

(-)

0.00

0.00

0.00

(-)

(-)

(-)

0.00

0.00

0.00

(-)

(-)

(-)

(1/2/3/5/6/
11)

3.72

1/2/5/6/9)

3.21

(1,2,3,5,6,
11,14,20)

(-)

(-)

(-)

0.00

0.00

0.00

(-)

(-)

(-)

0.00

0.00

0.00

(-)

(-)

(-)

4.26

0.00

0.00

0.00

Ivory Coast

4.32

(1/2/5/14)

4.05

3.75

(6/9)

4.12

(5,11)

3.61

(1/2/5/9/14
)

(1/2/3/4/5/
6/8)
(-)

(1/14)

2.60

3.47

0.00

0.00

5.30

0.00

4.69

(3/5/6/12)

(-)

(1/14)

5.30

0.00

4.96

Jamaica

Madagascar

St Lucia

St Vincent & 
Grenadines

1.26

(5/14)

0.80

(5/14)

0.00

Somalia

0.00

(-)

0.00

Suriname

3.10

(1/14)

2.70

(-)

(1)

0.00

2.70

(1/2/5/9/14
)

2.60

(6/7/14)

2.10

(10)

(-)

(-)

(-)

(-)

(1)

2.90

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

2.50

(1/2)

(-)

(-)

(-)

(-)

(1)

2.75

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

2.20

(1/2/5/9/14
)

(1/12/14)

(-)

(-)

(-)

(-)

(5/9/12/14
)

(1/12/14)

(-)

(-)

(-)

(-)

2.45

0.00

1.45

0.00

0.00

1.75

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

(2,12,14)

(-)

(-)

(-)

(-)

2.40

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

(12/14)

(-)

(12/14)

(-)

(-)

(1)

4.38

0.00

0.00

0.00

1.38

2.42

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

(1,2,3,5,6,
11,14,20)

(-)

(-)

(-)

(/1/2/13/14
/19/21/22)

(1,13,14)

(-)

(-)

(-)

(-)

4.61

0.00

0.00

0.00

4.55

0.65

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

(1,2,3,5,6,
11,14,20)

(-)

(-)

(-)

(1,13,14,2
0)

(12,13)

(-)

(-)

(-)

(-)

47.28

0.00

10.72

1.44

33.08

29.39

0.00

11.10

2.06

0.00

(1/5)

2.31

(1/12/14)

1.96

1.67

(2,3,22)

1.42

(2,3,22)

1.21

(2,3,22)

21.77

TOTAL

34.40

32.34

17.37

15.80

14.75

13.42

15.82

11.97

11.93

11.01

178.81

3 

 
 
 
 
 
 
notes

1
2
3
4
5

Irrigation and drainage
Renewal of plantations
Phyto-sanitary treatment
Fertiliser
Packing

6
7
8
9
10

Cold storage
Agriculture/Rural Development
Roads
Social Infrastructure
Micro-credit

11
12
13
14
15

Social projects
Training
Institutional Support
Technical Assistance
Private Sector

16
17
18
19
20

ICT
Tourism
Water
Infrastructures
Environment

21
22

Energy
Cableway

Annex 1B: SFA PROGRAMME - USE OF FUNDS

Country

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

Diversification
2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Total

Amount

Type

Amount

Type

Amount

Type

Amount

Type

Amount

Type

Amount

Type

Amount

Type

Amount

Type

Amount

Type

Amount

Type

Belize

Cameroon

Cape Verde

Dominica

Grenade

0,00

0,00

0,50

1,01

0,06

(-)

(-)

(7)

(7/10)

(14)

0,00

0,00

0,00

1,27

0,00

(-)

(-)

(-)

(7/10)

(-)

0,45

(9/10)

0,80

0,00

0,00

6,70

0,50

(-)

(-)

(7/10/11)

(10)

0,00

0,50

6,40

0,50

Ivory Coast

0,38

(7/14)

0,30

(7/14)

0,25

(7/14)

0,00

(7)

(-)

(7)

(10/14)

0,00

0,00

0,50

5,90

(-)

(-)

(7/14)

(17/18)

0,00

0,00

0,50

5,30

(-)

(-)

(7/14)

(15/19)

0,00

0,00

0,5

4,51

(-)

(-)

0,00

(-)

(7/12)

(16)

0,5

(7,12)

3,83

(13/14/17)

(10)

0,50

(12/13/14)

0,50

(15)

0,5

(15/16)

0,5

(13/14)

0,50

0,00

(-)

0,00

(-)

0,00

(-)

0,00

(-)

0,70

(7,14)

0,00

0,89

(9,12,13)

1,56

(12)

2,04

(12,13)

5,74

(-)

(7)

(7)
(7/9/10/11/
13/14)

Jamaica

Madagascar

St Lucia

St Vincent & 
Grenadines

Somalia

Suriname

0,00

0,00

3,81

(-)

(-)

(7/11)

0,00

0,00

3,92

(-)

(-)

(7/11)

1,53

0,00

9,20

(14)

(-)
(7/9/10/11/
13/14)

1,80

0,50

8,80

1,65

0,50

8,00

(7/14)

(7)

(20)

2,42

0,50

7,26

(7/14)

(7)
(7/11/12/1
4)

6,10

(11/14)

5,60

(11/14)

5,33

(15)

1,65

0,5

3,06

4,53

(12/14)

1,75

(7,12,14)

(7/12)
(7/11/15/2
0)

0,5

5,41

(7)
(7/11/13/1
4/21)

0,57

0,50

4,60

(16)

3,85

(14/17)

3,27

(7,14)

(14)

(14,17)

(12,13,14,
17,21)

1,88

0,50

4,80

(7,12,13)

(7)

(9,12,16)

4,84

(8/14)

5,65

(8/14)

6,40

0,00

0,00

(-)

(-)

0,00

0,00

(-)

(-)

0,60

0,00

(8)

(14)

(-)

2,80

0,00

(1/7)

2,60

(1/7/14)

2,07

(1/7)

1,76

(7/13)

1,5

(-)

0,00

(-)

0,00

(-)

0,00

(-)

0,00

1/7

(-)

1,28

0,00

1/7

(-)

TOTAL

10,60

11,14

25,63

28,20

25,25

23,88

17,01

18,73

16,74

4 

0,00

0,50

3,26

(-)

(7,12)

(7,14,18)

(7,13,14,1
6)

0,00

0,50

3,60

0,50

(?)

(7,12)
(18,19,20, 
13, 14)

(7)

(?)

0,00

4,00

41,78

4,06

1,63

13,25

3,50

58,86

3,46

(12,17)

49,03

(-)

(-)

1,09

0,00

18,37

13,70

0,00

195,54

 
 
 
 
 
 
notes

1
2
3
4
5

Irrigation and drainage
Renewal of plantations
Phyto-sanitary treatment
Fertiliser
Packing

6
7
8
9
10

Cold storage
Agriculture/Rural Development
Roads
Social Infrastructure
Micro-credit

11
12
13
14
15

Social projects
Training
Institutional Support
Technical Assistance
Private Sector

16
17
18
19
20

ICT
Tourism
Water
Infrastructures
Environment

21
22

Energy
Cableway

5 

 
 
 
 
Annex 2: Commitments and Disbursements per calender year

Allocations (€)

< 2002

Countries

All

Year
<2008
2008

Total

Amount (€ )
346.725.000,00
29.226.000,00
375.951.000,00

Commitments (€ )
31.304.419,83
0,00
31.304.419,83

Payments (€ )

21.748.347,52
0,00
21.748.347,52

2002
Commitments (€ )
20.225.651,45
0,00
20.225.651,45

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Total

Payments (€ )
33.820.712,82
0,00
33.820.712,82

Commitments (€ )
41.049.242,58
0,00
41.049.242,58

Payments (€ )
17.248.716,47
0,00
17.248.716,47

Commitments (€ )
4.099.908,58
0,00
4.099.908,58

Payments (€ )
6.840.999,47
0,00
6.840.999,47

Commitments (€ )
13.263.104,86
0,00
13.263.104,86

Payments (€ )
10.122.048,10
0,00
10.122.048,10

Commitments (€ )
67.329.103,06
0,00
67.329.103,06

Payments (€ )
20.763.104,72
0,00
20.763.104,72

Commitments (€ )
62.082.392,18
0,00
62.082.392,18

Payments (€ )
39.307.104,10
0,00
39.307.104,10

Commitments (€ )
42.362.551,60
0,00
42.362.551,60

Payments (€ )
45.935.324,00
0,00
45.935.324,00

Commitments (€ )
281.716.374,14
0,00
281.716.374,14

Payments (€ )
195.786.357,20
0,00
195.786.357,20

6 

 
 
 
 
 
3. Implementation per beneficiary country 

The implementation of the SFA programme is most delayed in Cape Verde where only 
has  been  committed  i.e.  contracted  for 
€1  million  out  of  an  allocation  of  €4.1  million 
works,  supplies,  service  and  grant  contracts.  The  execution  of  the  contracts  as 
represented  by  payments  on  these  contracts,  amounting  to  €776  000,  is  satisfactory.  A 
substantial part of the SFA funds for Cape Verde will remain undisbursed as the validity 
of the individual projects financed has expired. The Commission is actively assisting the 
Government to speed up the implementation of the remaining programmes and expects 
full utilisation of the SFA funds allocated from 2005 to 2008. 

Table 4: Financial Status per Country

Allocations (€)

Commitments (€)

Payments (€)

RAC (€)

RAC %

RAL (€)

RAL %

Belize
Jamaica
Dominica
St Lucia
St Vincent
Grenada
Suriname
Sub-total Caribbean
Cameroon
Ivory Coast
Somalia
Cape Verde
Madagascar
Sub-total Africa

27.719.000,00
42.625.000,00
52.503.000,00
71.623.000,00
51.093.000,00
5.500.000,00
21.767.000,00
272.830.000,00
47.277.000,00
34.546.000,00
13.698.000,00
4.100.000,00
3.500.000,00
103.121.000,00

21.749.415,38
34.656.171,84
39.472.434,09
50.239.673,65
41.290.569,20
3.887.119,97
16.315.936,67
207.611.320,80
35.349.181,62
22.655.888,96
12.350.524,26
1.053.727,00
2.000.000,00
73.409.321,84

15.959.198,62
27.664.349,83
22.441.384,45
33.004.820,80
23.600.296,00
3.224.044,47
12.176.565,69
138.070.659,86
29.869.122,30
15.333.367,71
9.301.680,17
776.332,15
1.800.000,00
57.080.502,33

5.969.584,62
7.968.828,16
13.030.565,91
21.383.326,35
9.802.430,80
1.612.880,03
5.451.063,33
65.218.679,20
11.927.818,38
11.890.111,04
1.347.475,74
3.046.273,00
1.500.000,00
29.711.678,16

22%
19%
25%
30%
19%
29%
25%

11.759.801,38
14.960.650,17
30.061.615,55
38.618.179,20
27.492.704,00
2.275.955,53
9.590.434,31
23,9% 134.759.340,14
17.407.877,70
19.212.632,29
4.396.319,83
3.323.667,85
1.700.000,00
46.040.497,67

25%
34%
10%
74%
43%
28,8%

42%
35%
57%
54%
54%
41%
44%
49,4%
37%
56%
32%
81%
49%
44,6%

GRAND TOTAL

375.951.000,00

281.020.642,64

195.151.162,19

94.930.357,36

25,3% 180.799.837,81

48,1%

The  SFA  funds  for  Somalia  are  all  allocated  for  diversification  and  are  all  disbursed 
through  grant  contracts  via  NGOs  still  operating  in  Somalia.  Agricultural  development 
through  small-scale  irrigation  along  the  Djouba  and  Chebele  rivers  is  the  main  activity 
supported  by  the  SFA  programmes.  Using  grant  contracts,  normally  one  contract  per 
allocation  year,  accounts  for  the  relatively  low  uncontracted  (reste  a  contracter  RAC1) 
and not disbursed (reste a liquider RAL2) rates for Somalia. 

The relatively fast implementation of the SFA programmes in Jamaica, as expressed in 
their low RAC and RAL rates, is partially caused by the use of SFA funds to replant the 
banana plantations after the hurricanes in 2005, 2007 and 2008. 

1  RAC  or  Remainder  to  be  Contracted  indicates  the  percentage  of  funds  allocated  to  the  project  for 

which no works, supply, services or grant contracts or programme estimates, have been signed. 

2  RAL  or  Remainder  to  be  Liquidated  indicates  the  (percentage  of  the)  funds  allocated  to  the 
programme  not  yet  paid/disbursed.  This  includes  the  Remainder  to  be  Paid  (RAP)  on  existing 
implementation contracts. 

7 

 
 
 
 
                                                 
Programme  implementation  in  Cote  d'Ivoire  has  been  partially  disrupted  and  therefore 
delayed by the political unrest and problematic security situation; especially for the SFA 
funds allocated in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007 (the Financing Agreement for 2008 is not 
yet signed). Payments are particularly affected, leading to an above average RAL rate. 

8 

 
 
tonnes
Total
Total EU, incl
Total dollar, incl.
Total ACP, incl.

Cameroon
Cote d'Ivoir
Dom. Rep.
Belize
Suriname
Ghana
St. Lucia
Dominica
St. Vincent
Jamaica
others

Annex 4: Banana - European Union Imports
1997

2000

1999

1998

2001

1996

2005

2004

2003

1995

1994

2002

1993

785.000

657.000

791.000

768.000

585.000

811.000

782.000

642.000

685.000

730.000

2008
3.612.000 3.414.000 3.810.000 3.954.000 3.902.000 3.796.000 3.931.000 4.070.000 3.973.000 4.073.000 4.698.618 4.606.497 4.376.578 5.018.004 5.230.958 5.419.581
568.000
2.220.000 2.102.000 2.387.000 2.466.000 2.395.000 2.393.000 2.520.000 2.528.000 2.475.000 2.555.000 3.142.618 3.071.497 2.964.578 3.485.004 3.841.908 3.933.075
918.506
279.530
216.583
170.464
82.146
65.812
45.951
38.512
10.281
8.975
0
252

750.000
147.000
161.000
62.000
39.000
28.000
0
113.000
53.000
58.000
77.000
12.000

760.000
206.000
200.000
60.000
68.000
34.000
3.000
73.000
28.000
43.000
41.000
4.000

727.000
158.000
149.000
86.000
47.000
33.000
0
92.000
43.000
32.000
76.000
11.000

837.050
221.918
189.840
206.164
61.175
54.342
33.404
30.456
7.291
13.792
18.371
297

803.000
167.000
181.000
61.000
54.000
26.000
3.000
107.000
39.000
44.000
89.000
32.000

696.000
157.000
166.000
49.000
53.000
29.000
3.000
71.000
35.000
30.000
77.000
26.000

801.000
298.492
207.420
111.948
73.806
0
1.000
32.520
10.000
20.911
41.755
3.148

681.000
161.000
192.000
42.000
56.000
39.000
3.000
66.000
28.000
38.000
52.000
4.000

727.000
229.913
210.788
97.331
38.178
7.000
3.000
49.313
17.000
32.520
40.600
1.357

891.000
252.702
221.791
176.757
73.207
45.119
22.000
36.726
13.000
17.000
31.863
835

766.000
165.000
160.000
75.000
41.000
28.000
2.000
101.000
33.000
48.000
84.000
29.000

730.000
215.455
216.699
85.886
51.609
28.720
3.000
34.727
17.516
30.829
42.958
2.601

764.000
252.912
183.752
144.683
74.189
35.258
4.000
28.243
12.000
15.000
12.000
1.963

618.000
116.000
158.000
56.000
53.000
21.000
4.000
70.000
27.000
39.000
62.000
12.000

785.000
261.232
210.760
101.337
80.292
19.000
2.000
42.872
12.000
23.962
28.660
2.885

755.000

552.000

648.000

750.000

642.000

2006

2007

Note: From 1995 - 2002, EU-15 / From 2003 - 2005, EU-25/ Since 2006, EU-27/ Source Eurostat/CIRAD (Fr)

9 

 
5. Recommendations and actions taken by SFA Beneficiary Countries 

Country 
Belize 

Cameroon 

Cote d'Ivoire 

Dominica 

Jamaica 

Strategic 2006 Recommendations and Actions Taken 
Recommendations:  1)  identify  a  specific  strategy  for  addressing 
diversification and rural development; 2) scale economies such as 
the  consolidation  of  key  logistical  activities  such  as  joint 
procurement of inputs, should be adopted by growers; 3) assistance 
should  be  provided  on  the  social  side  –  to  workers  -  not  just  to 
competitiveness  issues;  4)  implementation  of  SFA  programmes 
should  be  accelerated;  5)  assistance  should  be  balanced  between 
competitiveness and diversification. 
Actions  taken:  specific  strategies  are  now  in  place  for  addressing 
rural  development  priorities  and  some  balance  is  being  achieved 
between  competitiveness  and  diversification.  However,  growers 
are still ambivalent about scale economy strategies although recent 
studies  (e.g.  on  production  cost  reduction  strategies)  have 
confirmed and quantified the potential benefits of such actions.3  
Recommendations:  1)  Increase  productivity;  2)  privatise  CDC;  3) 
address  cash  flow  issues  relating  to  ATF  (SFA)  payments  to 
producer  organisations;  and  4)  design  more  flexible  investment 
types in ATFs 
Actions  taken:  Increasing  productivity  has  become  a  strong  focus 
of 2006 and 2007 ATFs. The CDC has not been privatised. There 
have  been  no  material  changes  (as  recommended)  in  ATF 
modalities 
Recommendations: 1) carry out feasibility study on CFA region as 
a  new  export  market;  2)  accelerate  traceability,  pre-cooling  and 
certification initiatives; and 3) develop a multi-annual and unified 
ATF funding system. 
Actions  taken:  study  carried  out  on  potential  markets  in  the  CFA 
region  identified  Senegal,  Mauritania,  Niger,  Mali,  and  Burkina 
Faso and key factors to be addressed: quality standards, packaging, 
and 
transport.  Traceability,  pre-cooling  and 
certification  initiatives  completed.  System  of  ATF  funding  not 
changed. 
Recommendations: 1) develop a long term diversification strategy 
given the low competitiveness levels of Dominica bananas; and 2) 
improve the rate of processing and disbursement of SFA funds. 
Actions  taken:  SFA  assistance  now  being  provided  to  tourism, 
private  sector  development  and  specific  subsectors  through  the 
Dominica  Export  Agency  (DEXIA).  The  SFA  disbursement  rate 
has been improving since 2005 with the help of technical expertise 
to the National Authorising Officer (NAO). 
Recommendations:  1)  Caribbean  countries  to  exchange  lessons 
leaned from their SFA programmes; 2) Jamaica to identify new or 

long  distance 

3  Building  Capacity  to  Trade  in  the  EU  Market,  Phase  5  Report:  Summary  of  Recommendations  and 

Proposed Actions, Cardno-Agrisystems Consortium, 2008. 

10 

 
 
                                                 
Country 

Saint Lucia 

Saint Vincent 

Suriname 

2) 

the 

and 

rate 

strategy 

improve 

integrated 

term 
of 

Strategic 2006 Recommendations and Actions Taken 
alternative  markets  for  bananas  e.g.  for  local  and  regional 
consumption; 3) focus on the fight against poverty in rural small-
farmer  areas;  4)  support  income-generating  micro  projects  under 
the  Rural  Development  Programme;  5)  continue  to  use  the 
(effective)  credit  and  revolving  fund  system;  6)  improve  SFA 
processing and rate of funds disbursement. 
Actions  taken:  No  progress  on  Caribbean  country  collaboration. 
Local  market  now  considered  to  be  the  only  viable  outlet  for 
Jamaica  bananas.  Support  continues  for  micro  projects  and  the 
revolving fund. Little progress on improving SFA efficiency. 
Recommendations:  1)  develop  an 
long 
diversification 
processing/disbursement of funds. 
Actions  taken:  SFA  assistance  now  being  provided  in  a  more 
focussed  way  on  identifying  and  supporting  viable  sectors  and 
business  ventures  with  strong  growth  potential  (e.g.  the  Sequa 
project  and  the  Agrotourism  SFA  2007).  SFA  disbursement  rate 
improved  substantially  since  2007,  especially  with  recent  help  of 
DFID-funded  technical  assistance  to  the  NAO  between  January 
and December 2008. 
Recommendations:  1)  develop  an 
term 
diversification strategy; and 2) improve the rate of processing and 
disbursement of SFA funds. 
Actions  taken:  SFA  assistance  continued  to  be  channelled  to  a 
diverse range of activities (public sector support, business gateway, 
social  investment  fund,  training,  institutional  support  and  studies 
etc)  but  with  limited  cohesiveness  between  them.  Still,  the 
disbursement rate improved substantially in both 2007 and 2008. 
Recommendations:  1)  Caribbean  countries  to  collaborate  on  SFA 
implementation  via  exchange  of  lessons  leaned  from  their  SFA 
programmes;  2)  use  logical  frameworks  as  the  basis  from 
reporting/monitoring implementation; 3) increase productivity and 
production and 4) privatise the industry 
Actions taken: None on the collaboration recommendation. Logical 
frameworks  still  not  being  used  to  improve  project  management. 
Privatising activities in progress. 

integrated 

long 

11 

 
 
6. IMPACT OF THE SFA PROGRAMMES PER BENEFICIARY COUNTRY 

Impact on ACP Banana exports to the EU 

The  SFA-supported  competitiveness  programmes  have  made  valuable  contributions  to 
improving the competitiveness of Belize, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire and Suriname. While 
eight  countries  were  initially  committed  to  competiveness,  those  with  the  stronger 
prospects for survival in an environment of progressive liberalisation of the EU Banana 
Regime have survived. 

All these four countries have been able to maintain or increase the quantities of bananas 
exported  to  the  EU  during  the  period  2006  to  2008.  During  this  the  quantity  of  ACP 
bananas imported into the EU increased from 891 246 to 918 506 tonnes, amounting to 
18.5%  of  the  total  imports  in  2006  (EU-25)  and  to  17.0%  of  the  total  imports  in  2008 
(EU-27).  For  Belize  the  banana  export  to  the  EU  rose  from  73  000  tonnes  to  82  146 
tonnes between 2006 and 2008. Banana exports from Cameroon increased from 253 000 
to 279 530 tonnes in this period while those from Cote d'Ivoire remained stable with 222 
000  tonnes  in  2006  and  216  538  tonnes  in  2008.  Suriname  maintained  its  growth  in 
banana exports after the restart of its banana industry (following bankruptcy in 2002) in 
2003 with 45,000 tonnes exported in 2006 and 65,812 tonnes in 2008. Chart 1 presents 
the  export  quantities  from  the  ACP  exporting  countries to the EU since the creation  of 
the Common Market for Bananas in 1993. This data are also mentioned in Annex 5. 

The quantities of bananas exported by Jamaica were severely influenced by the damage 
caused by hurricanes both in 2007 and 2008. While replanting was undertaken in 2007 
and  exportation  restarted,  the  sole  exporting  company  in  Jamaica  announced  that  it 
would  stop  exporting  bananas  after  hurricane  Gustav  in  2008.  The  damage  caused  in 
2008 was extensive and replanting and further repairs to the existing plantations will be 
scaled to supply the local market. 

12 

 
Chart 1; ACP Bananas imported in the EU

s
e
n
n
o
t
n

i
s
t
r
o
p
x
e
s
a
n
a
n
a
b
P
C
A

l
a
t
o
t

1,000,000

900,000

800,000

700,000

600,000

500,000

400,000

300,000

200,000

100,000

0

300,000

250,000

200,000

150,000

100,000

50,000

0

t
r
o
p
x
e
s
a
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a
B

y
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c
r
e
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U
E
e
h
t
o
t

Total ACP, incl.

Cameroon

Cote d'Ivoire

Dom. Rep.

Belize

Suriname

Ghana

St. Lucia

Dominica

St. Vincent

Jamaica

1993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008

Year

The initial focus on competitiveness in the Windward Islands was not viable: support in 
that area failed to reduce the competitiveness gap and this (core) strategy was abandoned 
as a major SFA initiative after 2004. Most  of the bananas still exported by the Eastern 
Caribbean countries benefit from "Fair Trade" certification. 

SFA Programme impact in Belize 

In  Belize,  the  nine  growers  running  the  sector’s  20  farms  have  benefitted  from  SFA 
investments in irrigation and drainage, replanting with meristem plants, sigatoka control 
and technical assistance. Exports of Belize bananas increased substantially from 1999 to 
2004. The exported carton boxes and volumes increased by 41%, with 4 364 153 cartons 
exported  in  the  last  year.  Costs  of  production were reduced  by 28%  between 2000 and 
2004, though high oil prices in 2007-2008 resulted in unit cost increases. Relative FOB 
costs  per  ton  are  reported  to  be  €262/tonne  euro  for  Latin  America  and,  on  average, 
€560/tonne for ACP countries. Belize’s higher co st of labour and transportation, resulting 
in a per tonne cost of €452, confirms that it is one of the lower-cost ACP countries. 

SFA Programme impact in Cameroon 

The area under banana cultivation totals 7000 hectares. An increase has been announced. 
The  means  of  production  have  improved  due  to  producers'  investments  since  the  early 
1990s,  and  then  helped  by  EC  financial  and  technical  assistance.  The  updating  of 
production facilities is thus practically complete. The average yield was 35 tonnes per ha. 
in 1994 and has now reached 40 tonnes/ha, varying from 30 to 48 tonnes/ha depending 
on the location and the investments made. 

13 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The banana industry in Cameroon generates 11 500 direct jobs and nearly 36 000 indirect 
jobs.  Today,  banana  exports  are  shared  between  three  companies.  The  plantations  and 
packing  stations  have  varying  standards  but  many  are  inconformity  with  the  various 
standards and certifications introduced since 2000, i.e. GlobalGap, ISO 14001 and Tesco 
Nature choice. 

Cameroon is the leading ACP exporter to the EU, accounting for 30% of Europe's ACP 
banana supply. 

SFA programme impact in Côte d'Ivoire 

Cote d’Ivoire was able to upgrade its production and packaging systems with the help of 
irrigation,  drainage,  renovation,  plantation  management, 
EC  funds,  mainly  for 
infrastructure,  and  pack  houses.  This  led  to  significant  yield  increases  of  export  fruit, 
from 40 to 44 t/ha on average over the period 2001 to 2007. Together with an increase in 
labour  productivity,  this  led  to  reductions  in  unit  costs  of  production  of  as  much  as  17 
the  country’s 
CFA 
competitiveness  closer  to  that  of  Latin  American  producers.  Although  many  of  the 
investments  were  co-funded  by  the  large  growers,  there  is  no  doubt  that  SFA  support 
facilitated  these  competitiveness  gains  across  the  Ivoirian  industry,  despite  the  very 
difficult investment and business climate that prevailed from 2003 onwards. 

(Communauté  Financière  Africaine)  per  kilo,  bringing 

SFA programme impact in the Eastern Caribbean States 

The  Eastern  Caribbean  States'  agricultural  diversification  programmes  were  not 
successful  in  developing  alternatives  to  bananas. This was due to  market and logistical 
constraints,  as  well  as  issues  of  scale,  cost  and  technology.  However,  under  a 
collaborative agreement with FAO, recent SFAs can be expected to support development 
of commercial fruit and vegetable production for St Lucia’s domestic and tourist market, 
possibly including cruise ships, and the rapid expansion in capacity in St Vincent. 

Wider  economic  diversification  approach  began  to  emerge  from  SFA  2001,  seeking 
broad-based  economic  growth.  By  2004,  the  Eastern  Caribbean  States  had  entirely 
changed  the  focus  of  SFA  from  agriculture  to  economic  growth,  which  by  then,  was 
accounting  for  at  least  67%  of  planned  investments.  Focal  areas  are  the  enabling 
environment  for  economic  development  through  structural  reforms  in  support  of  the 
Bretton  Woods 
in  skills 
development, tourism (particularly agro and eco-tourism), offshore financial institutions, 
enterprise development and ICT, all sectors with higher potential than agriculture. Some 
initiatives, such as the water and sewage systems in Dominica or the Western Highway 
in St Vincent, are prerequisites for diversification since these are primarily infrastructure 
and  social  projects  that  are  expected  to  enhance  the  investment  environment  for 
diversification over the long term. 

institutions’  programmes  and  specific 

interventions 

In Dominica, a coordinated effort is being made to promote the country in Europe as a 
tourist  destination  whilst  at  the  same  time  strengthening  the  capability  of  areas  where 
banana production forms an important part of the rural economy, to develop the tourism 
product  and  benefit  directly  from  increased  tourism  earnings.  In  this  regard, 
implementation of the West Coast Water Supply Project over the lifetime of the SFA is 
an important part of Dominica’s plans to develop the tourism product, especially in the 
Northeast around Portsmouth which is an important banana growing area. 

14 

 
SFA programme impact in Jamaica 

In Jamaica, diversification was not introduced until SFA 2006, where the focus was on 
agro-processing  and  diversification  into  alternative  production  such  as  vegetables, 
poultry  and  dairy  offer  viable  and  sustainable  income-generating  prospects.  Later 
initiatives propose: (1) skills development under technical and vocational education and 
training;  (2)  income  and  employment  generating  activities  based  on  market-driven 
opportunities  along  the  value  chain;  and  (3)  rehabilitation  of  rural  infrastructure  with 
economic or social benefits in target communities. 

SFA programme impact in Suriname 

Suriname is one of the two Caribbean ACP countries most likely to succeed in expanding 
production  and  reducing  costs  to  take  advantage  of  new  market  access  following  the 
adoption of the January 2006 revised regime. It has pursued restructuring of the industry 
with  support  from  the  EU  since  early  2000.  Following  the  collapse  of  the  state-owned 
sole banana producer in 2001, privatisation which is considered to be the key to ensuring 
the  sustainability  of  the  industry,  is  being  pursued  through,  among  other  things, 
improving the competitiveness of the new state-owned company. Since 2001, production 
increased  to  about  20  000  tonnes  by  2005  and  more  than  doubled  in  2006  to  45  146 
tonnes. In 2007, Suriname increased exports to 54 342 tonnes i.e. by 20.4% and was the 
only  traditional  ACP  exporter  to  do  so  that  year.  The  industry  also  reduced  costs  by 
about  31%  between  2001  and  2005.  Production  costs  are  now  close  to  those  of  Costa 
Rica,  one  of  the  lower-cost  Central  American  banana  producing  countries.  This  highly 
commendable  success  is  largely  attributed  to  SFA  programmes  aimed  at  improving 
productivity and increasing output. However, Suriname’s viability as a banana producer 
now rests on the smooth transfer to private commercial operators via completion of the 
transition to private ownership. 

15