Ivory Coast to produce 21,000 tons of bananas annually
The project aims to create a 500 hectare grouping of sweet banana plantations and revitalise rural economy in the North of the country. ''The project will have spread over 500 ha by 2018 at the latest, and should produce, as soon as 2019, 21,000 tons of banana for export,'' indicates the Prime Minister in a note in favour of the project. He adds that the investment needed to put the project to work ''add up to 4.9 billion CFA .''
According to the OBAMCI, the project should create over 700 direct permanent employment opportunities (workers, employees, supervisors…) and will indirectly help over 4,000 people, according to OBAMCI.
Until now, banana production was limited to forested areas of the Ivory Coast, the 2nd African producer and 13th world producer of bananas.
The banana sector represents 8% of agricultural gross domestic product (GDP), 2% of national GDP and directly employs 8-10,000 people. Combined with the pineapple sector, it generates a 145 billion CFA annual turnover.
Total area covered by the fruit sector in the Ivory Coast is 135,000 ha. The majority (90%) of sweet banana in the Ivory Coast is destined for export, 80% of which goes to Europe (representing 5% of the European market).
Two multinational subsidiaries share the country's main banana production : la Sociéte de Culture Bananière (SCB, subsidiary of DOLE) controls 56% of banana exports whilst BANADOR (subsidiary of the CHIQUITA Group) controls 27%. The remaining 17% is controlled by local independent producers within the Organisation of producers and exporters of pineapple and banana (OCAB).