Summay #2

Summary #2

“ Social Aspects of the Banana Industry” (Kepner, 1967)

According to introductory of the book, “Social Aspects of the Banana Industry” (1967), Kepner indicated that banana business was connected with Central American governments or used the political situations in order to dominate the land and the trade.
In the book, Kepner stated that in 1870 Captain Lorenzo Dow Baker landed in Jamaica and saw that bananas were popular on local markets. According to the book, “Baker purchased 160 bunches for one shilling per stalk on Port Antonio docks; 11 days later he sold bunches for two dollars each in Jersey City,” (Kepner, 1967, P.44) making a huge profit. According to the book, “the legendary bounty of the banana trade” (kepner, 1967, P.45) was established. Kepner stated in his book that Bananas were shipped to Boston and New Orleans from Cuba and the Dominican Republic as well as Jamaica. He also showed some 16 million bunches were being imported into the US by 1898.

According to the book, in 1899 the United Fruit Company (UFCO) was formed in Boston and began to develop its own plantations in Central America. Based on the book, in Costa Rica, Minor Keith did a deal with the Government to build a railway to the Atlantic coast and planted bananas beside the track with great loss of life. Kepner reported Keith married the daughter of the President and became known as the “Uncrowned King of Central America”(Kepner, 1967, p.52).

According to the book, Samuel Zemurray – “Sam the Banana Man” (Kepner, 1967, p.56)- went to Honduras in 1905 with very favorable concessions for his banana business. Kepner noted Samuel pioneered new plantation techniques, and in 1915 began production from large new landholdings in the Motagua Valley, on the disputed Honduras and Guatemala border. Kepner included that, in 1933, as the largest shareholder, he became UFCO's Managing Director. Kepner noted the company owned plantations the size of Switzerland in Central America and the Caribbean.
Kepner indicated that the British Government became worried about US influence in its Caribbean colonies. Kepner found in 1913 the Fyffes company was created for the banana trade, but it faced financial difficulties and was taken over by United Fruit. According to Kepner’s book, a strategy of providing financial assistance to associations of banana growers was a success; so, by 1938 Jamaica produced 78 per cent of British imports.
According to the book, Kepner implied the business of banana as a war and tactics. Kepner showed the history of the banana business, trying to be objective; but the history of it implied its wrong which is willing to be criticized sharply.