SoC Peru’s Chira Valley small banana producers compete in international organic markets

Dole in Peru, a company that traditionally sources from large producers and company-owned plantations, implemented an Inclusive Business model that links small-scale banana producers to the company’s value chain through a mutually beneficial relationship. Productivity and quality of production of 2500 small farmers was increased with 75% over a period of 3 years. This went together with the organic certification of their product, and forward integration of farmers in the chain: they are now obtaining added value to their product through packaging the bananas themselves. Certification, together with the transfer of processing capacities to farmers’ associations generates increased sustainable incomes for the producers and improves employment conditions in an economically depressed zone that has considerable potential for agricultural business. The company gained through increased efficiency and larger export and trading of organic banana, a product with a growing demand in international markets.

See also: Inclusive Business at SNV