Four growers, Daniel Nouvet and Sandra Bartel from Martinique and Claudy Behary and Damien Frair from Guadeloupe, presented themselves and their products. The bananas will be sold from May this year.
Jean Claude Marraud des Grottes showed the bananas to the ministers
Both ministers spoke about the importance of protecting banana growers and offering them financial help. "The banana industry brings along a lot of challenges", said Annick Girardin.
Cindy Versmissen, UGPBAN: "L’Union des Groupements de Producteurs de Bananes de Guadeloupe et Martinique (UGPBAN) is a network of banana planters created in 2004, recognized today as one of the best organized agricultural sectors of Europe. The 600 French banana producers in Guadeloupe and Martinique have built a socially responsible and environment friendly business."
The Banana from Guadeloupe & Martinique production reaches 260.000 tons of banana a year for both islands, 75% of this volume is dedicated to the French market and 25% of it to the European Export markets. Production areas vary from 2 until 250 hectares of production, for a total banana production of 8.500 hectares. The market share of the yellow Banana from Guadeloupe & Martinique on the French market represents 40%."
Alexis de Reynal, Jean Claude Marraud des Grottes and Cindy Versmissen from La Banane de Guadeloupe et Martinique
Cindy: "In a strategy of diversification, Fruits du Monde, a sister company of UGPBAN, has been selecting the best banana producers from Africa and Latin America in line with its ideology. Recently in 2016, Fruits du Monde launched the ISƧI Premium brand to promote the best bananas from these 2 continents. ISƧI was created to have a strong identity driven by the Guadeloupe and Martinique model and the factors that made it successful with the common mission of creating a unique brand. As opposed to the French Banana commercial strategy, ISƧI Premium brand is mainly aimed at export development."
For more information:
La Banane de Guadeloupe et Martinique