The United Fruit Company was an American corporation, formed in 1899 following the merger of Andrew W. Preston’s Boston Fruit Company and Minor C. Keith’s banana-trading enterprises, trading primarily bananas among other tropical fruits. In the mid-20th century the United Fruit Company came to control vast transportation networks in Central America, the Caribbean coast of Colombia, Ecuador and West Indies, and despite competition with the Standard Fruit Company over dominance in the international banana trade, maintained a virtual monopoly in various so-called ‘banana republics’ (e.g. Costa Rica and Honduras). By the 1930s the company had observed more than 20 rival firms, consequently acquiring millions of acres of land in Central America and the Caribbean (3.5m). The company’s record on promoting development in the nations it operated was mixed. For instance, by building extensive railroads and ports, United Fruits provided employment and transportation. Moreover, United Fruits provided numerous schools for the people who lived and work on Company land (Guatemala). Nevertheless, the Company’s vast holdings of land gave United Fruit great power over the governments of small countries, resolving to allegations of government-official-bribing and exploitation of workers (low pay). As follows, Latin American artists (Little Steven), writers (Pablo Neruda), journalists and politicians (especially Leftists) accused (and denounced) United Fruit of exploitative neocolonialism, referring to eat as el pulpo (‘the octopus’). Furthermore, the clearing out of forests and installation of water systems for the formation of the company’s vast banana-plantations contributed substantially to the devastation and destruction of ecosystems, hence creating noticeable environmental degradation. Becoming a symbol of the exploitative export economy, the Company’s growing presence and influence in small countries led to serious labour disputes, such as the The Great Banana Strike of 1934 in Costa Rica, (comprising 30 separate unions and 100,000 workers) and a major workers’ strike in the Honduras in 1954. Following a period of financial decline, United Fruit mergered with Eli M. Black’s AMK in 1970 and became the United Brands Company, which then Carl Lindner, Jr. transformed to present-day Chiquita Brands International Inc. (20,000 employees).
Sources:
http://www.unitedfruit.org/chron.htm
https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/books/review/Kurtz-Phelan-t.html