Commodity Chain Analysis - Banana
Introduction
The late twentieth-century and early twenty-first-century trends towards the continuing integration of the world economy have attracted the attention of geographers who seek to assess the impacts that globalization processes have at various geographic scales.1 The banana has a rich history of globalization, and for this reason, this essay will explore the commodity chain that shows the trajectory that the banana takes in order to be produced in the Caribbean, Latin America and elsewhere, then transported through the sea, next entering grocery stores throughout the world and finally consumed in the homes of millions. Commodity chain analyses allow modern day geographers to understand the process in which a resource is gathered, transformed, and distributed as a commodity to consumers. This understanding is critical in the defetishization of commodities and the appreciation of the relationships of those that have created them. Commodity chain analyses are also fundamental in showing the inseparable role of geography within these processes of commodity production. Perhaps more than any other agricultural product the banana reflects the colonial, neo-colonial, economic nationalism and contemporary stages of the evolution of the world economy.2 The banana was introduced to the North Americas in the late 1800’s because of the invention of the refrigerated ship.3 The influence of technology is evident even in these early stages of banana globalization. Since then, the banana has remained popular worldwide but has faced its share of problems. Between 1993-2001, there were disputes between America and the European Union (EU) due to a complex problem involving banana licensing. The stages of production, transportation and consumption all create a complex and important story to the most consumed fruit worldwide because its history intertwines with political and social trends.
Production
Although bananas are produced in more than 123 countries worldwide,
The late twentieth-century and early twenty-first-century trends towards the continuing integration of the world economy have attracted the attention of geographers who seek to assess the impacts that globalization processes have at various geographic scales.1 The banana has a rich history of globalization, and for this reason, this essay will explore the commodity chain that shows the trajectory that the banana takes in order to be produced in the Caribbean, Latin America and elsewhere, then transported through the sea, next entering grocery stores throughout the world and finally consumed in the homes of millions. Commodity chain analyses allow modern day geographers to understand the process in which a resource is gathered, transformed, and distributed as a commodity to consumers. This understanding is critical in the defetishization of commodities and the appreciation of the relationships of those that have created them. Commodity chain analyses are also fundamental in showing the inseparable role of geography within these processes of commodity production. Perhaps more than any other agricultural product the banana reflects the colonial, neo-colonial, economic nationalism and contemporary stages of the evolution of the world economy.2 The banana was introduced to the North Americas in the late 1800’s because of the invention of the refrigerated ship.3 The influence of technology is evident even in these early stages of banana globalization. Since then, the banana has remained popular worldwide but has faced its share of problems. Between 1993-2001, there were disputes between America and the European Union (EU) due to a complex problem involving banana licensing. The stages of production, transportation and consumption all create a complex and important story to the most consumed fruit worldwide because its history intertwines with political and social trends.
Production
Although bananas are produced in more than 123 countries worldwide,
Cited: Page 1: "File:Banana and cross section.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2013.