84-666: Fyffes plc ( / f aɪ f s / FYFS ) is a fruit and fresh produce company. The Fyffes brand is most closely associated with the banana industry , although it is applied to a wide range of fruits and fresh produce, including the Fyffes Gold Pineapples , and Fyffes melons . Fyffes is primarily involved in the production, procurement, shipping, ripening, distribution and marketing of bananas, pineapples, melons and other exotic fresh produce. Fyffes currently markets fruit in Europe and North America , primarily under
168-483: A 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 4.65/10, ranking it 118th globally out of 172 countries. The country has been considered economically stable with moderate inflation, estimated at 2.6% in 2017, and moderately high growth in GDP, which increased from US$ 41.3 billion in 2011 to US$ 52.6 billion in 2015. The estimated GDP for 2018 is US$ 59.0 billion and the estimated GDP per capita (purchasing power parity)
252-564: A falsified arrest warrant in a kidnapping attempt, and he filed suit several times. In 2001, the EU dismantled their banana import policy that favoured European companies. This ended any ongoing banana disputes. In 2002, Fyffes took legal action against DCC plc in relation to the sale of its stake in the company, though DCC was eventually cleared of insider trading at that time. The Supreme Court of Ireland ruled in 2007, that DCC and Mr Flavin had inside information on Fyffes when it sold its stake in
336-679: A few sovereign nations without a standing army . The country has consistently performed favorably in the Human Development Index (HDI), placing 58th in the world as of 2022 , and fifth in Latin America. It has also been cited by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as having attained much higher human development than other countries at the same income levels, with a better record on human development and inequality than
420-485: A key role in Costa Rica's history and in 2006, was the third cash crop export. As a small country, Costa Rica now provides under 1% of the world's coffee production. In 2015, the value of coffee exports was US$ 305.9 million, a small part of the total agricultural exports of US$ 2.7 billion. Coffee production increased by 13.7% percent in 2015–16, declined by 17.5% in 2016–17, but was expected to increase by about 15% in
504-421: A large amount of pesticide (estimate: 35 lb/acre, 39 kg/ha) and can encourage ecosystem destruction through deforestation . Moreover, food miles and plastic packaging leave a large carbon footprint . In 2012 the volume of global gross banana exports reached a record high of 16.5 million metric tons (3.6 × 10 lb) , 1.1 million tonnes (or 7.3 percent) above 2011 level. Bananas are
588-732: A major role in the national economy and eventually became a symbol of the exploitative export economy. The major labor dispute between the peasants and the United Fruit Company (The Great Banana Strike) was a major event in the country's history and was an important step that would eventually lead to the formation of effective trade unions in Costa Rica , as the company was required to sign a collective agreement with its workers in 1938. Historically, Costa Rica has generally enjoyed greater peace and more consistent political stability than many of its fellow Latin American nations. Since
672-439: A new constitution by a democratically elected assembly. Having enacted these reforms, the junta transferred power to Ulate on 8 November 1949. After the coup d'état , Figueres became a national hero, winning the country's first democratic election under the new constitution in 1953 . Since then, Costa Rica has held 15 additional presidential elections, the latest in 2022 . With uninterrupted democracy dating back to at least 1948,
756-674: A result of which is that the country has one of the highest literacy rates in Latin America, 97%. General Basic Education is mandatory and provided without cost to the user. A US government report confirms that the country has "historically placed a high priority on education and the creation of a skilled workforce" but notes that the high school drop-out rate is increasing. As well, Costa Rica would benefit from more courses in languages such as English, Portuguese, Mandarin, and French and also in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Costa Rica sources much of its energy from renewables and
840-453: A second plebiscite was called in the city of Nicoya. After deliberation, the incorporation into Costa Rica was decided in an open town hall meeting, preparing a record in which the main reasons for it were noted, pointing out the advantages in terms of trade, the desire to participate in the advances that are palpable in Costa Rica, the economic, administrative and public service benefits, the creation of schools, security and quiet, referring to
924-499: A trade deficit of US$ 2.39 billion in 2015. Pharmaceuticals, financial outsourcing, software development, and ecotourism have become the prime industries in Costa Rica's economy. High levels of education among its residents make the country an attractive investing location. Since 1999, tourism earns more foreign exchange than the combined exports of the country's three main cash crops : bananas and pineapples especially, but also other crops, including coffee. Coffee production played
SECTION 10
#17327810902171008-868: A way to secure stability and growth. Costa Rica is a member of the International Criminal Court , without a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the United States military (as covered under Article 98 ). Costa Rica is an observer of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie . On 10 September 1961, some months after Fidel Castro declared Cuba a socialist state, Costa Rican President Mario Echandi ended diplomatic relations with Cuba through Executive Decree Number 2 . This freeze lasted 47 years until President Óscar Arias Sánchez re-established normal relations on 18 March 2009, saying, "If we have been able to turn
1092-408: Is Lake Arenal . There are 14 known volcanoes in Costa Rica, and six of them have been active in the last 75 years. Costa Rica experiences a tropical climate year-round. There are two seasons. The dry season is December to April, and the rainy season is May to November. March and April are the hottest months in the country, while December and January are the coldest. However, there are rainy days in
1176-607: Is Intl$ 17,559.1. The growing debt and budget deficit are the country's primary concerns. A 2017 study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development warned that reducing the foreign debt must be a very high priority for the government. Other fiscal reforms were also recommended to moderate the budget deficit. Many foreign companies (manufacturing and services) operate in Costa Rica's Free Trade Zones (FTZ) where they benefit from investment and tax incentives. Well over half of that type of investment has come from
1260-704: Is an active member of the United Nations and the Organization of American States . The Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the United Nations University of Peace are based in Costa Rica. It is also a member of many other international organizations related to human rights and democracy, such as the Community of Democracies . The main foreign policy objective of Costa Rica is to foster human rights and sustainable development as
1344-538: Is an important part of the global industrial agrobusiness . About 15% of the global banana production goes to export and international trade for consumption in Western countries . They are grown on banana plantations primarily in the Americas . As is the case with all monocultures , the intensive agroindustrial methods for banana production have considerable environmental impact. Banana cultivation requires
1428-521: Is moderately high (8.2% in 2016, according to the IMF). Although 20.5% of the population lives below the poverty line (2017), Costa Rica has one of the highest standards of living in Central America. High-quality health care is provided by the government at a low cost to the users. Housing is also very affordable. Costa Rica is recognized in Latin America for the quality of its educational system,
1512-575: Is the one park in Costa Rica where all four Costa Rican monkey species can be found. These include the white-headed capuchin , the mantled howler , the endangered Geoffroy's spider monkey , and the Central American squirrel monkey , found only on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and a small part of Panama , and considered endangered until 2008, when its status was upgraded to vulnerable. Deforestation , illegal pet-trading, and hunting are
1596-528: Is undertaking reforestation projects to reduce its overall greenhouse gas emissions. In 2007, the Costa Rican government announced the commitment for Costa Rica to become the first carbon neutral country by 2021. Costa Rica would be, according to its leaders, the first country in the world to have launched in 2019 a comprehensive decarbonization plan ( net zero carbon emissions by 2050). Costa Rica has free trade agreements with many countries, including
1680-642: The Mexican Empire , and the Republicans, represented by the cities of San José and Alajuela who defended full independence. Because of the lack of agreement on these two possible outcomes, the first civil war of Costa Rica occurred. The Battle of Ochomogo took place on the Hill of Ochomogo , located in the Central Valley in 1823. The conflict was won by the Republicans and, as a consequence,
1764-645: The Philippines , Ecuador , Indonesia , and Brazil , together accounting for 20% of the world total of bananas and plantains (table). As reported for 2013, total world exports were 20 million tonnes of bananas and 859,000 tonnes of plantains. Ecuador and the Philippines were the leading exporters with 5.4 and 3.3 million tonnes, respectively, and the Dominican Republic was the leading exporter of plantains with 210,350 tonnes. OEC reports that
SECTION 20
#17327810902171848-616: The Viceroyalty of New Granada (i.e. Colombia ), and lack of resources such as gold and silver, made Costa Rica into a poor, isolated, and sparsely-inhabited region within the Spanish Empire. Costa Rica was described as "the poorest and most miserable Spanish colony in all America" by a Spanish governor in 1719. Another important factor behind Costa Rica's poverty was the lack of a significant indigenous population available for encomienda (forced labor), which meant most of
1932-487: The flag of Nicaragua but may not charge them for departure clearance from its ports. These were all specific items of contention brought to the court in the 2005 filing. In 2010, there was also a dispute around Isla Calero , and the effects of Nicaraguan dredging of the river in that area. On 1 June 2007, Costa Rica broke diplomatic ties with Taiwan , switching recognition to the People's Republic of China. Costa Rica
2016-553: The 1870s, the Costa Rican government contracted with U.S. businessman Minor C. Keith to build a railroad from San José to the Caribbean port of Limón . Despite enormous difficulties with construction, disease, and financing, the railroad was completed in 1890. Most Afro-Costa Ricans descend from Jamaican immigrants who worked in the construction of that railway and now make up about 3% of Costa Rica's population. U.S. convicts, Italians, and Chinese immigrants also participated in
2100-549: The Canaries) had observed the success of Fyffe & Hudson and followed suit. In 1898, Elder Dempster's fruit importing business was extended to Jamaica . To protect the island's economy, the British government agreed to pay a subsidy of £40,000 a year to Elder Dempster to run a regular steamer service to Jamaica and bring large quantities of bananas to the British market. In May 1901, the firms merged and Elders & Fyffes Ltd
2184-606: The Central American region of North America . It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as maritime border with Ecuador to the south of Cocos Island . It has a population of around five million in a land area of nearly 51,180 km (19,760 sq mi). An estimated 352,381 people live in
2268-479: The Costa Rican settlers had to work on their land, preventing the establishment of large haciendas (plantations). For all these reasons, Costa Rica was, by and large, unappreciated and overlooked by the Spanish Crown and left to develop on its own. The circumstances during this period are believed to have led to many of the idiosyncrasies for which Costa Rica has become known, while concomitantly setting
2352-532: The Fyffes and Turbana brands. In 1888, Edward Fyffe, a London food wholesaler, began commercial imports of bananas. Then in 1897 he merged his business with Hudson Brothers, another importer to form Fyffe Hudson & Co. The business became so successful that they purchased land in the Canaries to be cultivated as banana plantations. Meanwhile, Elder Dempster & Company (a large shipping firm which traded in
2436-543: The Party's population in favor of incorporation, and 23% against it. The town of Guanacaste was the only one that declined annexation, due to the ties its residents had with the city of Rivas, Nicaragua . Upon independence, Costa Rican authorities faced the issue of officially deciding the future of the country. Two bands formed: the Imperialists, defended by Cartago and Heredia cities , which were in favor of joining
2520-531: The Spanish language, was in some accounts first applied by Christopher Columbus , who sailed to the eastern shores of Costa Rica during his final voyage in 1502, and reported vast quantities of gold jewelry worn by natives. The name may also have come from conquistador Gil González Dávila , who landed on the west coast in 1522, encountered natives, and obtained some of their gold, sometimes by violent theft and sometimes as gifts from local leaders. During most of
2604-523: The U.S. According to the government, the zones supported over 82,000 direct jobs and 43,000 indirect jobs in 2015. Companies with facilities in the America Free Zone in Heredia, for example, include Intel, Dell, HP, Bayer, Bosch, DHL, IBM and Okay Industries. Of the 2016 GDP, 5.5% was generated by agriculture, 18.6% by industry and 75.9% by services. For the region, its unemployment level
Fyffes - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-565: The US (and probably from other countries). The major concerns identified were as follows: Costa Rica had 2.9 million foreign visitors in 2016, up 10% from 2015. In 2015, the tourism sector was responsible for 5.8% of the country's GDP, or $ 3.4 billion. In 2016, the highest number of tourists came from the United States, with 1,000,000 visitors, followed by Europe with 434,884 arrivals. According to Costa Rica Vacations, once tourists arrive in
2772-476: The US. There are no significant trade barriers that would affect imports and the country has been lowering its tariffs by other Central American countries. The country's Free Trade Zones provide incentives for manufacturing and service industries to operate in Costa Rica. In 2015, the zones supported over 82 thousand direct jobs and 43 thousand indirect jobs in 2015 and average wages in the FTZ were 1.8 times greater than
2856-486: The World Travel & Tourism Council's estimates indicated a direct contribution to the GDP of 5.1% and 110,000 direct jobs in Costa Rica; the total number of jobs indirectly supported by tourism was 271,000. A pioneer of ecotourism , Costa Rica draws many tourists to its extensive series of national parks and other protected areas. The trail Camino de Costa Rica supports this by allowing travelers to walk across
2940-473: The arrival of various groups of hunter-gatherers about 10,000 to 7,000 years BCE in the Turrialba Valley . The presence of Clovis culture type spearheads and arrows from South America opens the possibility that, in this area, two different cultures coexisted. Agriculture became evident in the populations that lived in Costa Rica about 5,000 years ago. They mainly grew tubers and roots. For
3024-750: The average for private enterprise work in the rest of the country. In 2016, Amazon.com for example, had some 3,500 employees in Costa Rica and planned to increase that by 1,500 in 2017, making it an important employer. The central location provides access to American markets and direct ocean access to Europe and Asia. The most important exports in 2015 (in order of dollar value) were medical instruments, bananas, tropical fruits, integrated circuits and orthopedic appliances. Total imports in that year were US$ 15 billion. The most significant products imported in 2015 (in order of dollar value) were refined petroleum, automobiles, packaged medications, broadcasting equipment, and computers. The total exports were US$ 12.6 billion for
3108-700: The blue label was used on bananas for the first time. Fyffes also import melons. The range covers melon types such as Galia, cantaloupe , charentais , watermelon , piel de sapo and yellow honeydew . The melons are sourced from Brazil, Honduras , Guatemala and Costa Rica . The Fyffes Group ripening facility in Basingstoke is the largest in Europe and is able to accommodate 117,000 boxes (or over 2,100 tonnes) of bananas at any one time. The company formerly operated its own fleet of ships, known as Fyffes Line . Banana industry The banana industry
3192-526: The border between the two countries, and Costa Rica's rights of navigation on the river. On 14 July 2009, the International Court of Justice in the Hague upheld Costa Rica's navigation rights for commercial purposes to subsistence fishing on their side of the river. An 1858 treaty extended navigation rights to Costa Rica, but Nicaragua denied passenger travel and fishing were part of the deal;
3276-715: The capital and largest city, San José , with around two million people in the surrounding metropolitan area. The sovereign state is a presidential republic . It has a long-standing and stable constitutional democracy and a highly educated workforce. The country spends roughly 6.9% of its budget (2016) on education, compared to a global average of 4.4%. Its economy, once heavily dependent on agriculture, has diversified to include sectors such as finance, corporate services for foreign companies, pharmaceuticals, and ecotourism . Many foreign manufacturing and services companies operate in Costa Rica's Free Trade Zones (FTZ) where they benefit from investment and tax incentives. Costa Rica
3360-557: The city of Cartago lost its status as the capital, which moved to San José . In 1838, long after the Federal Republic of Central America ceased to function in practice, Costa Rica formally withdrew and proclaimed itself sovereign. The considerable distance and poor communication routes between Guatemala City and the Central Plateau, where most of the Costa Rican population lived then and still lives now, meant
3444-620: The colonial period, Costa Rica was the southernmost province of the Captaincy General of Guatemala , nominally part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain . In practice, the captaincy general was a largely autonomous entity within the Spanish Empire . Costa Rica's distance from the capital of the captaincy in Guatemala , its legal prohibition under mercantilist Spanish law from trade with its southern neighbor Panama, then part of
Fyffes - Misplaced Pages Continue
3528-475: The construction project. In exchange for completing the railroad, the Costa Rican government granted Keith large tracts of land and a lease on the train route, which he used to produce bananas and export them to the United States. As a result, bananas came to rival coffee as the principal Costa Rican export, while foreign-owned corporations (including the United Fruit Company later) began to hold
3612-603: The continent. Historians have classified the indigenous people of Costa Rica as belonging to the Intermediate Area , where the peripheries of the Mesoamerican and Andean native cultures overlapped. More recently, pre-Columbian Costa Rica has also been described as part of the Isthmo-Colombian Area . Stone tools, the oldest evidence of human occupation in Costa Rica, are associated with
3696-546: The country from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast. In the 2011 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index , Costa Rica ranked 44th in the world and second among Latin American countries after Mexico in 2011. By the time of the 2017 report, the country had reached 38th place, slightly behind Panama. The Ethical Traveler group's ten countries on their 2017 list of The World's Ten Best Ethical Destinations includes Costa Rica. The country scored highest in environmental protection among
3780-471: The country is the region's most stable. Costa Rica borders the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Costa Rica also borders Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. The highest point in the country is Cerro Chirripó , at 3,819 metres (12,530 ft). The highest volcano in the country is the Irazú Volcano (3,431 m or 11,257 ft) and the largest lake
3864-647: The country lacked a strong native civilization to begin with. Most of the native population was absorbed into the Spanish-speaking colonial society through inter-marriage, except for some small remnants, the most significant of which are the Bribri and Boruca tribes who still inhabit the mountains of the Cordillera de Talamanca , in the southeastern part of Costa Rica, near the frontier with Panama . The name la costa rica , meaning "rich coast" in
3948-482: The country's electricity came from renewable sources . In 2019, the country produced 99.62% of its electricity from renewable sources and ran completely on renewable sources for 300 continuous days. In 1996, the Forest Law was enacted to provide direct financial incentives to landowners for the provision of environmental services. This helped reorient the forestry sector away from commercial timber production and
4032-521: The country, 22% go to Tamarindo , 18% go to Arenal , 17% pass through Liberia (where the Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport is located), 16% go to San José , the country's capital (passing through Juan Santamaría International Airport ), while 18% choose Manuel Antonio and 7% Monteverde. By 2004, tourism was generating more revenue and foreign exchange than bananas and coffee combined. In 2016,
4116-547: The country. Most of the coffee exported was grown around the main centers of population in the Central Plateau and then transported by oxcart to the Pacific port of Puntarenas after the main road was built in 1846. By the mid-1850s the main market for coffee was Britain. It soon became a high priority to develop an effective transportation route from the Central Plateau to the Atlantic Ocean. For this purpose, in
4200-493: The court ruled Costa Ricans on the river were not required to have Nicaraguan tourist cards or visas as Nicaragua argued, but, in a nod to the Nicaraguans, ruled that Costa Rican boats and passengers must stop at the first and last Nicaraguan port along their route. They must also have an identity document or passport. Nicaragua can also impose timetables on Costa Rican traffic. Nicaragua may require Costa Rican boats to display
4284-541: The dry season, as well as weeks without rain in the wet season. Despite its size, Costa Rica is one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity in all of Latin America . One national park, the Corcovado National Park , is internationally renowned among ecologists for its biodiversity (including big cats and tapirs ) and is where visitors can expect to see an abundance of wildlife. Corcovado
SECTION 50
#17327810902174368-777: The farm protested in fear of losing their jobs. Fyffes stopped buying bananas from the farm in response to the farms' alleged continued affiliation with John Zabaneh, whom the US treasury department had named in 2012 as having ties to Mexican drug baron Joaquín Guzmán ("El Chapo"), leader of the Sinaloa Cartel . Zabaneh had strenuously denied any such ties, but under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act , US citizens and organizations had been effectively banned from doing business with him and any organizations linked to him. Fyffes had severed links with Zabaneh and his interests in 2012 when
4452-668: The final Spanish defeat in the Mexican War of Independence (1810–1821), the authorities in Guatemala declared the independence of all of Central America. That date is still celebrated as Independence Day in Costa Rica even though, technically, under the Spanish Constitution of 1812 that had been readopted in 1820, Nicaragua and Costa Rica had become an autonomous province with its capital in León . On March 3, 1824,
4536-607: The first and second millennia BCE there were already settled farming communities. These were small and scattered, although the timing of the transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture as the main livelihood in the territory is still unknown. The earliest use of pottery appears around 2,000 to 3,000 BCE. Shards of pots, cylindrical vases, platters, gourds, and other forms of vases decorated with grooves, prints, and some modeled after animals have been found. The influence of indigenous peoples on modern Costa Rican culture has been relatively small compared to other nations since
4620-561: The fruit and vegetable distributor for €106 million in early 2000. This overturned a High Court decision which had gone in DCC's favour. The settlement of the civil claim in 2008, cost DCC around €42 million. In August 2004, Fyffes were involved in a rescue 200 miles (320 km) off the west coast of Ireland at Foynes Port in County Limerick . Four sailors who were attempting a transatlantic world rowing record were picked up in
4704-466: The global banana supply chain , major supermarket chains in the US and EU have gained market power over the big producers in the 21st century as they dominate the retail market and increasingly purchase from smaller wholesalers or directly from growers. In 2016, world production of bananas and plantains was 148 million tonnes, led by India and China with a combined total (only for bananas) of 28% of global production (table). Other major producers were
4788-555: The government of the State of Costa Rica officially proposed to the municipality of Nicoya its voluntary incorporation into the country, through a document in which it invited it "if it was convenient to join its Province without going against its will." On July 4, an open town hall was convened in Nicoya to discuss the matter, but attendees declined the invitation under the argument "that this Party... cannot be dissident." On July 25, 1824,
4872-454: The highest risk of forced labor, followed by Cameroon , Ghana , Guatemala and Ecuador among other banana exporting countries. Costa Rica Costa Rica ( UK : / ˌ k ɒ s t ə ˈ r iː k ə / , US : / ˌ k oʊ s t ə -/ ; Spanish: [ˈkosta ˈrika] ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica , is a country in
4956-562: The international banana trade: The market share of the above players decreased from 70% in 2002 to about 44% in 2013. This decline in market power has been attributed to a couple of reasons. In the past, multinational companies owned a large number of plantations in Central and South America and other banana-producing regions. Since the 1980s they have divested a large share of their own production, replacing it with greater purchases from independent producers. For example, Chiquita has decreased
5040-447: The late 19th century, however, Costa Rica has experienced two significant periods of violence. In 1917–1919, General Federico Tinoco Granados ruled as a military dictator until he was overthrown and forced into exile. The unpopularity of Tinoco's regime led, after he was overthrown, to a considerable decline in the size, wealth, and political influence of the Costa Rican military. In 1948, José Figueres Ferrer led an armed uprising in
5124-425: The local population had little allegiance to the federal government in Guatemala. Since colonial times, Costa Rica has been reluctant to become economically tied with the rest of Central America. Even today, despite most of its neighbors' efforts to increase regional integration, Costa Rica has remained more independent. Until 1849, when it became part of Panama , Chiriquí was part of Costa Rica. Costa Rican pride
SECTION 60
#17327810902175208-540: The main reasons for its threatened status. La Amistad and Chirripó present the climate of the páramo , at a height of more than 3000 meters above sea level, providing other types of flora and fauna, such as the white-nosed coati , the sooty thrush and Rogiera amoena . Costa Rica is the first tropical country to have stopped and reversed deforestation; it has successfully restored its forestry and developed an ecosystem service to teach biologists and ecologists about its environmental protection measures. The country had
5292-604: The median of the region. It also performs well in comparisons of democratic governance , press freedom, subjective happiness and sustainable wellbeing . It has the 8th freest press according to the Press Freedom Index , it is the 35th most democratic country according to the Freedom in the World index, and it is the 23rd happiest country in the 2023 World Happiness Report . It is also a major tourist destination in
5376-548: The most popular fruit in the United States, with more consumed annually than apples and oranges combined. In spite of the multitude of banana species across the world, even only taking into account the cultivated ones , industrial production is dominated by the Cavendish banana . Tropical Race 4 is thought to be distributed globally by soil-contaminated equipment from the multinational plantation owners. In 2013, five multinational fruit companies alone controlled 44% of
5460-541: The number of its plantations in Central America. Fyffes used to own plantations in Jamaica, Belize and the Windward Islands, but withdrew from production and switched to purchasing its bananas through contracts with producers. The disengagement from production was partly caused by legal and economic problems at the plantation level, but also reflects the change in market power along the banana value chain. Along
5544-572: The page with regimes as profoundly different to our reality as occurred with the USSR or, more recently, with the Republic of China, how would we not do it with a country that is geographically and culturally much nearer to Costa Rica?" Arias announced that both countries would exchange ambassadors. Costa Rica has a long-term disagreement with Nicaragua over the San Juan River , which defines
5628-417: The resulting deforestation and helped create awareness of the services it provides for the economy and society (i.e., carbon fixation , hydrological services such as producing fresh drinking water, biodiversity protection, and provision of scenic beauty). A 2016 report by the U.S. government report identifies other challenges facing Costa Rica as it works to expand its economy by working with companies from
5712-548: The spread of malaria amongst orphaned and other vulnerable children. In March 2014, Fyffes agreed to merge with Chiquita , to form what would have become the world's largest banana distributor. However, in October that year, Fyffes exercised its right to terminate the transaction agreement with Chiquita. In October 2015, Fyffes abruptly terminated a purchase contract with the Mayan King farms in Belize . Mayan King had been responsible for around one quarter of Belize's banana exports and employed approximately 1,200 people. Workers at
5796-452: The stage for Costa Rica's development as a more egalitarian society than the rest of its neighbors. Costa Rica became a "rural democracy" with no oppressed mestizo or indigenous class. It was not long before Spanish settlers turned to the hills, where they found rich volcanic soil and a milder climate than that of the lowlands. Like the rest of Central America , Costa Rica never fought for independence from Spain. On 15 September 1821, after
5880-403: The state of war that Nicaragua was experiencing at that time and the fear that it would spread to the Partido populations, in addition to point out the poverty in which its towns find themselves and the geography of the territory as justifications for the union. Three days later, another similar plebiscite was held in Santa Cruz , with the same result. The election was by majority vote, with 77% of
5964-461: The stormy waters after their boat was destroyed by huge waves. The Fyffes banana ship that rescued them had been en route from Costa Rica with 250,000 cartons of bananas and was completing the 12-day voyage when they were alerted to the men's plight. On 15 May 2006, the company spun off its property portfolio to a separate company, Blackrock International Land plc, though it would retain a 40% share. In September 2006, Irish newspapers reported that it
6048-401: The subsequent year. Costa Rica has developed a system of payments for environmental services . Similarly, Costa Rica has a tax on water pollution to penalize businesses and homeowners that dump sewage, agricultural chemicals , and other pollutants into waterways. In May 2007, the Costa Rican government announced its intentions to become 100% carbon neutral by 2021. By 2015, 93 percent of
6132-483: The total value of banana trade in the period from 2020 to 2021 was $ 13.6 billion, despite a 2.51 percent decline in export growth. The global banana industry has been involved with multiple human rights violations since its inception in the late 19th century. These include slavery and forced child labor among others and as of 2021, the Rainforest Alliance has identified Côte d'Ivoire as the country with
6216-401: The treasury department named him as a narcotics trafficker, but had restored ties with Mayan King as a supplier after the banana growers' association assured it that Zabaneh was no longer involved in it and that a company unconnected with him, Meridian Farms, had taken control of Mayan King. In April 2016, Fyffes acquired Canadian mushroom growers Highline Produce Limited for C$ 145m (€98m). This
6300-413: The wake of a disputed presidential election between Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia (who had been president between 1940 and 1944) and Otilio Ulate Blanco . With more than 2,000 dead, the resulting 44-day Costa Rican Civil War was the bloodiest event in Costa Rica during the 20th century. The victorious rebels formed a government junta that abolished the military altogether and oversaw the drafting of
6384-530: The winners. Costa Rica began reversing deforestation in the 1990s, and they are moving towards using only renewable energy , with 93% of all its energy being renewable. Costa Rica is composed of seven provinces, which in turn are divided into 82 cantons (Spanish: cantón , plural cantones ), each of which is directed by a mayor. Mayors are chosen democratically every four years by each canton. There are no provincial legislatures. The cantons are further divided into 488 districts ( distritos ). Costa Rica
6468-450: Was assuaged for the loss of this eastern (or southern) territory with the acquisition of Guanacaste , in the north. Coffee was first planted in Costa Rica in 1808, and by the 1820s, it surpassed tobacco , sugar , and cacao as a primary export . Coffee production remained Costa Rica's principal source of wealth well into the 20th century, creating a wealthy class of growers, the so-called Coffee Barons. The revenue helped to modernize
6552-578: Was considering spinning off its fresh produce business, leaving Fyffes as purely a banana importer. On 2 January 2007, this occurred, with Total Produce plc listing on the ISE's Irish Enterprise Exchange and the LSE's Alternative Investment Market . In September 2008, UNICEF Ireland and Fyffes announced a corporate philanthropy partnership. The five-year partnership funded UNICEF's work in Mozambique combating
6636-534: Was established in London . The following year 45% of the capital was purchased by the United Fruit Company of America. Thereafter, the business went from strength to strength using specially constructed ships that ensured the fruit arrived in good condition after the long Atlantic crossing. In 1960, at Bembridge Airport , Isle of Wight , Britten-Norman Ltd began trials of their new Cushioncraft , their name for an air-cushion vehicle built for Elders and Fyffes. It
6720-596: Was followed by the acquisition of a second Canadian mushroom business, All Seasons Mushrooms Inc. for C$ 59.1m (€41m). Fyffes was acquired by the Japanese sogo shosha Sumitomo in February 2017 for €751 million, which took the company private , delisting from the Dublin and AIM stock exchanges. Fyffes sold its mushroom business to Summit Fresh Produce in 2020. Fyffes is an old fruit brand dating back to 1929, when
6804-510: Was inhabited by indigenous peoples before coming under Spanish rule in the 16th century. It remained a peripheral colony of the empire until independence as part of the First Mexican Empire , followed by membership in the Federal Republic of Central America , from which it formally declared independence in 1847. Following the brief Costa Rican Civil War in 1948, it permanently abolished its army in 1949, becoming one of only
6888-538: Was initially known as FII Fyffes plc, but became simply Fyffes plc in 1989. In 1990, the limited supply of bananas in Honduras led to disputes with company Chiquita , dubbed the "Banana Wars". Chiquita began illegally seizing and destroying Fyffes' shipments, as well as bribing judges to validate detention orders on Fyffes' ships. This culminated in the destruction of ten million dollars worth of produce. Fyffes manager Ernst Otto Stalinski alleged that Chiquita used
6972-554: Was the first of the Central American nations to do so. President Óscar Arias Sánchez admitted the action was a response to economic exigency. In response, the PRC built a new, $ 100 million, state-of-the-art football stadium in Parque la Sabana , in the province of San José. Approximately 600 Chinese engineers and laborers took part in this project, and it was inaugurated in March 2011, with
7056-639: Was used to study the potential of this type of vehicle for the carriage of bananas from overseas plantations. In May 1969, the company was renamed Fyffes Group Ltd, recognising the diversity and importance of its subsidiary companies. It became an Irish company following takeover by the Irish group FII plc in 1986. FII plc had been created when Torney Brothers & McCann (the origins of that company were Charles McCann's apple exporting business founded in 1890) merged with United Fruit Importers Limited to form Fruit Importers of Ireland Limited in 1968. The combined company
#216783