THE BANANA INDUSTRIES OF COSTA-RICA AND DOMINICA IN A TIME OF CHANGE

The July 1993 implementation of a new banana importation regime by the European Union (EU) raised the level of competition between banana ex porters in Latin America and the Caribean, This article profiles the b anana industries of Costa Rica and Dominica as case studies representi ng these two groups of exporters, It considers the origins, scale, str ucture and trading patterns of the industry in each, utilising a varie ty of data from primary and secondary sources, commentary from intervi ews, and personal observations by the author from the field. Subsequen tly, it briefly reviews the changes in world trading regulations stipu lated by the EU and those forthcoming from GATT and its new World Trad e Organisation. In conclusion, the article suggests what kind of banan a future lies ahead for each country.