News
Chinese-Owned Banana Plantations Fueling Exploitation in Myanmar
The early 2000s saw a boom in the banana farming sector in southern China. By 2008, the fruit had become an increasingly popular target of investment, with low supply and soaring prices, and banana plantations were set up across China, as well as in Myanmar ...
YAN NAING
Chinese-owned banana plantations expand in Laos despite lingering environmental and health concerns
In 2017, the Lao government ordered the closure of the country’s Chinese-owned banana farms following reports of pollution and workers falling ill after being exposed to dangerous chemicals. Firms already operating in the country were allowed to stay open until their contracts expired. The ban prohibited ...
Oliver Ward
Xayaboury banana farms ordered to cease operations
Five companies with banana plantations in Xayaboury province have been ordered to stop growing the fruit, but can still plant other replacement crops in compliance with regulations. Four of the companies affected are Chinese backed with banana farms located around the villages of Phonthong, Namtuan, ...