Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
established Eucalyptus plantations near its Coyoles operations. The Tela
RailroadCompanyusedbambooforpropping.Thefruitcompanies'com-
bined use ofvaras easily ran into the tens of thousands per year, a signifi-
cant, if seldom-considered impact of export banana production on sur-
rounding ecosystems.
26
New soils, irrigation, and propping could help to boost yields, but
theydid little to impede the spread of Panama disease in the Aguán valley.
Consequently, Standard Fruit experimented with the Tela Railroad Com-
pany's flood fallowing technique. In January 1947, Standard Fruit's top
executives unanimously agreed to lease about 7,500 hectares of national
lands on the north side of the Aguán River.
27
The properties, previously
cultivated and abandoned by the Truxillo Railroad Company, were con-
sidered to be the only place in the valley with su
cient water to under-
take large-scale flood fallowing. Standard's general manager A. J. Chute
considered the project's completion, whose estimated cost was 500,000
dollars,tobe''imperative.''
28
However,whenthepressinTegucigalpapub-
lished news of the company's planned acquisition, President Carías re-
ceived a number of telegrams and petitions from residents in the region
protesting the proposed deal. Coming in the midst of an election year—
in which a formidable opposition was forming for first time in more than
a decade—Carías suspended negotiations with the company.
Alarmed Standard Fruit ocials sent a representative to meet with
the President in the hope that the reason for the delay was ''a nonpoliti-
calone''that''withmoney...couldbeadjusted''
29
Thecompanywas
prepared to pay as much as one hundred thousand dollars [in bribes] in
order to secure the land. During an hour-long meeting with President
Carías, Standard Fruit's spokesperson stressed that Panama disease was
rapidly infecting the company's farms in Olanchito and that the company
was prepared to invest half a million dollars in order to restore the pre-
viously abandoned lands. He also noted that the region was filled with
''ghost towns'' that would be revitalized if banana farms and rail service
returned.The lobbying efforts apparently paid off because twoyears later,
a U.S. consular o
cial reported that Standard Fruit was going to spend
nearly$5millionoverafive-yearperiodpreparingdykesinpreparationfor
flooding.
30
Operations were scheduled to get underway in 1950. However,
Henry Muery, who joined Standard Fruit's recently established research
department in 1951 to work on flood fallowing experiments, recalled that
the company halted the project after having constructed only a few lakes
due to the high costs incurred.
31
Standard Fruit's foray into flood fallow-
ing illustrated how agroecological change limited its power: the company
