Honduras: Fyffes confirms closure of melon firm
Last week, it had been announced that the multinational may have to close because of the plans of a group of seasonal workers of organising a subsection of the Union for Workers of the Agro-Industry and Similar (STAS).
Jacobo Paz, minister of the SAG, said that the executives of Grupo Sol, as Fyffes is known in Honduras, who run two other melon firms, Suragroh and Solesa, reported the decision to no longer cultivate the 1,300 manzanas (1 manzana = 0,698896 hectares) of melons in Santa Ana de Yusguare.
He said that another reason given by the executives for the decision was the formation of the Union at Melexsa; another one was the comparative advantage of Guatemala compared to Honduras, both when it comes to production costs as with the cost of shipping from Choluteca to Puerto Cortés.
Alexánder Sánchez, head of the packer in Suragroh, said that this company gives permanent employment to about 200 people, who have showed their opposition against the STAS.
The Honduran government has been asked to intervene to prevent the closure of Melexsa, since it is the greatest source of employment in Santa Ana de Yusguare.
Source: www.laprensa.hn/
