Who enjoys bananas? How many do you eat in a week? What do you know about where bananas are produced? Why do you think bananas are so inexpensive compared to locally grown fruit? What do you think are some of the issues that may be of concern to conscientious consumers in relation to banana production and trade?
Try this little quiz, record your responses (or go to this page, and put a comment with your responses) don’t score yourself yet, don’t try to correct any mistakes just yet, that will come later. We will do this short quiz again after reviewing some more in depth information.
Going Bananas – Quiz
1. Bananas grow on trees. True False
2. Bananas are not native to Latin America. True False
3. Bananas rank _____ among the world’s food commodities.
4. World trade in bananas total what amount in dollars annually?
a) $ 500 million
b) $1 billion
c) $ 2.5 billion
5. The first company to successfully import bananas to North America was the
U_________________ F_____________ C_____________ .
6. It is possible that bananas as a species could be wiped out. What is the name
of the dreaded disease which might accomplish this?
7. A banana company was in part responsible for 40 years of brutal repression in
one of Central America’s “Banana Republics”. In which country did this take
place? _______________________________
8. Today’s world production of bananas is controlled by 4 companies nicknamed
“The Wild Bunch”. Name at least 3 of these companies:
_____________________________ _________________________
_____________________________ _________________________
9. Latin American banana workers are not unionized. True False
10. Banana workers are now protected from human rights abuses thanks to
strong and progressive legislation in their home countries. True False
11. Today, the banana producing countries of Latin America depend much less
on this crop than they used to. True False
12. Bananas are cheap to buy in North American grocery stores because they
are very cheap to produce. True False
13. Banana companies have recently discovered a pesticide that is able to
control diseases that attack banana plants. True False
14. Banana workers’ salaries have increased/decreased greatly over the past
decade. True False
15. The World Trade Organization has come up with a ruling that will help protect
the income of small banana producers in the Caribbean. True False
16. The “Banana Wars” refers to:
a) a war which occured during the Spanish colonization of Latin America;
b) the invasion of Nicaruaga by American mercenary troups during the
1800s;
c) a trade dispute between the U.S. and European Union
d) the civil war which has been raging in Colombia for the past 50 years;
17. A group of banana workers has successfully sued one of the “Wild Bunch” for
health problems incurred due to their spraying of pesticides. True False
18. Diseases which attack bananas are easier to control on large/small
plantations.
19. The past decade has seen a decrease/increase in global banana production.
True False
20. Banana production and trade often translate into abuse of workers’ rights
and their health as well as untold damage to the environment.
True False
21. Banana production on large plantations is often associated with widespread
detrimental impacts on the immediate and surrounding environments.
True False
22. Canada has participated in developing disease-resistant types of bananas.
True False
23. Name a Canadian NGO which is trying to import fair trade bananas into
Canada.
______________________________
24. Name one thing you hope to find out more about in relation to bananas.