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Fertilization- The soil loses its nutrients because of constant production, so it is fertilized four times a year with organic or chemical fertilizers. Fertilization is not only done in the soil but also on the foliage. The most common fertilizers are urea, compost, and humus. The fertilizer feeds the soil for good development of the plant and also the final product, the banana.
Chopping and Crowning- Chopping is the task of man and machete clearing away brush and foreign plants which grow around the banana plants. Crowning is the job of cleaning a 50-cm. radius from around the banana stalk to keep the area clear and to help avoid disease.
Bagging- This is the process of a bag around a bunch of bananas giving it a greenhouse effect so that it develops more quickly and at the same time keeping it safe from insect invasions. The bunch is put into a bag which is held to the stalk by a plastic tape whose color changes depending on the week it was bagged. At twelve weeks, it is ready for harvest.
Harvest- Harvest time is a bit more labor intensive than the regular daily tasks of the plantation and more hands are necessary to accomplish it. In Hacienda San Cristobal's case, thirty workers per shift are necessary. A harvesting shift begins ate 5:30 in the morning and ends at around 8:00 at night. Only an experienced worker collects the bananas because he is able to determine the fruit that is ready by the color of its tape or by the maturity of the bunch. The bunch is carefully cut and put into a cradle. The cradle is a type of padding that the collectors have on their shoulders to transport the fruit to the funicular line. The bunch is then sent in groups of fifteen to the packing area where it is processed in pools of water with preservatives which help in keeping the bananas fresh while on their way to their final destination.
Upon arrival to the packing area, the bunches are inspected. If the bunch does not pass inspection, it is not apt for exportation and is used for other things, such as local sale or feed for cows and pigs.
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The bananas which pass inspection are put through a cleaning process in water tubs. The tubs contain chemical preservatives and cleaners. The bunch is then given its familiar shape by removing excess leaves and giving it a clean, fresh look. It is then packed in boxes which on the average contain eighteen bunches, giving it the official 43-pound banana box weight. Once the fruit is packaged, it is closed in an airtight plastic bag with the help of a rudimentary vacuum. It is then placed in specially designed cartons for transportation and sale. The fruit will then go to Guayaquil, Machala, or Esmeraldas, which are the main departure ports in Ecuador.
Without a doubt, visiting the banana plantation was an enlightening opportunity that only a few people have the privilege of doing. Not only was I allowed to visit, but I was permitted to walk through this jungle of banana plants, follow the funicular line and get lost amidst the bagged bunches hanging from the plants' limbs.
The less attractive reality of banana production--the low wages of the workers and the presence of child labor--however, remains a reality that needs to be addressed. From talking to the small plantation owners, this problem is partly attributed to the price that they (being the producers) receive from the exporters. This sale price rarely covers production costs. For example, producers are paid $3.00 per box, whereas, at their point of destination, the same box of bananas are sold for as much as $40.00. In other words, the profit margin for the middleman is substantial while, for the producer, it is almost negligible. This discrepancy affects the laborers whose wages are unable to increase due to the narrow profit margin of their employers.
This unfairness in wage earning leads to the rich (i.e. the middlemen in Ecuador and the large multinationals) getting richer. Alternatively, it is those who work the labor-intensive positions who are forced to continue working for stagnating wages. Unfortunately, this state of affairs is not limited to banana production and is not endemic to Ecuador. Mass agriculture, in general, exploits its laborers. Under these conditions, bananas have come to represent a less than complimentary image of Ecuador as being a Banana Republic. By addressing wage and labor concerns, Ecuador's agricultural wealth can be more fairly distributed amongst its inhabitants. The resulting social equity would serve as a tribute to "pacha mama" who has allowed for the bountiful geographical position of Ecuador.
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