The Hidden Cost of Bananas
SIXAOLA, LIMÓN, COSTA RICA.
A Call for Justice.
In the lush fields of Sixaola, Costa Rica, bananas ripen for export, concealing a dark and painful reality of human and environmental exploitation.
Behind every banana stamped with the logo of multinational corporations lies a story of exploitation, suffering, and systemic abuse faced by the workers. This exploitation can be seen as a form of modern slavery, where workers endure grueling conditions—long hours in the sun and humidity, blistered feet, hands torn by machetes, and lungs damaged by the constant inhalation of toxic pesticides. Despite the physical toll, they earn less than $300 a month, working more than 10 hours a day under inhumane conditions, with no access to healthcare or social security.
Workers on these plantations are often trapped in a cycle of poverty. They carry heavy loads of bananas, suffering from constant pain, injuries, and exposure to harmful chemicals. Yet, they receive no overtime pay or legal protections. Many face eviction from their homes and live under the constant threat of job loss. Racial discrimination and differential treatment, particularly of Indigenous people, add further layers of abuse. The spraying of toxic chemicals near homes, schools, and community centers exposes entire populations to grave health risks.
Multinational companies like Chiquita and Del Monte profit immensely from these exploitative practices. The global banana trade is one of the largest drivers of modern slavery, with workers’ suffering hidden behind glossy marketing campaigns. The Rainforest Alliance certification, often seen as a symbol of sustainability, does little to address the systemic exploitation of workers. It lowers carbon footprints but does nothing to mitigate the damage caused to human lives.
For over a decade, I have witnessed firsthand the human cost of bananas in the South Caribbean of Costa Rica. The true price of a banana is not just monetary—it is the suffering of the people who harvest it. This project aims to expose the harsh realities of banana plantations and the systems of power oppressing the communities. The conditions faced by these workers—exhausting labor, exposure to chemicals, and severe health risks—are a hidden cost of global consumerism.
As consumers, we often turn a blind eye to the true cost of the products we consume. If we continue to ignore or normalize the exploitation behind our goods, the patterns of consumerism will remain unchanged.
Banana plant leaves rotting on the ground of the Del Monte transnational plantation. Water and soil samples identified 13 pesticides at concentrations up to 24 times higher than what is deemed safe. Costa Rica lacks a monitoring system for these chemicals, which are primarily linked to the extensive banana and plantain monocultures in the region. The costly, intensive use of agrochemicals erodes the profitability of agricultural production, raises food prices, and contaminates drinking water sources, while also threatening marine species and jeopardizing major international markets.
Recent studies by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), including its latest research focused on the Sixaola River basin, have detected a cocktail of 33 pesticides. Among them, 13 are of particular concern due to their high toxicity, with concentrations between 6 and 24 times higher than the safe levels set by international standards. These include pesticides classified as highly hazardous and restricted, such as diazinon, fenamiphos, and terbufos — the latter of which is banned in the European Union, China, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
Tanagra, Sixaola, an abandoned banana plantation bankrupted by climate change and floods.
Hundreds of workers, many of them Ngäbe Buglé Indigenous people from Panama, are left without compensation, stranded on a farm burdened with debt to the state. They live in decaying homes with no access to clean water, while enduring constant exposure to agrochemicals sprayed by planes from transnational corporations like Chiquita and Del Monte.
The majority of the population suffers from headaches, diarrhea, vomiting, parasitosis, poisoning from agrochemicals, and skin conditions due to constant pesticide exposure. Families on this farm work in the banana and plantain fields, with many children and teenagers forced to work in the plantains just to survive and pay for their education, trapped in the grip of extreme poverty.
A rotten banana on the ground of a Chiquita farm. For a banana to reach the hands of a consumer, it passes through a chain of workers, many of whom endure conditions of modern-day slavery, resulting in deteriorating health and a life of extreme poverty. Due to exposure to methyl chloride, one of the agrochemicals used to fumigate banana plantations, some workers on the farm experience nosebleeds and other health complications. This issue underscores concerns over the chemical's impact on workers' health. Evidence from banana plantations in Costa Rica's southern Caribbean region highlights ongoing health challenges linked to the use of this agrochemical.
An Indigenous man, 50 years old, who has worked in banana plantations for over 15 years, prefers to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation from multinational companies. In 2024, a group of doctors from the University of Costa Rica conducted skin biopsies on workers exposed to agrochemicals. The results showed severe skin damage and possible skin cancer due to constant pesticide exposure.
This worker’s condition highlights the devastating long-term health risks faced by those laboring in the banana industry.
Evidence of a female worker at the Chiquita banana company. This worker is in the plant area, responsible for washing bananas in water tanks with chlorine concentrations that exceed the allowed levels. This has caused her to develop a rash all over her skin. At the Sixaola health center, she was told that the rash was due to exposure to high chlorine concentrations and could worsen, causing more side effects. She has wanted to report the company because they do not provide the proper protective equipment; although she uses gloves, they do not prevent water from splashing onto her skin or her arms from getting wet with chemicals. She prefers to remain anonymous, repeating during the interview that, in her own words, “these plantations are very powerful, and if I speak out, they might harm me.” Many workers have been threatened to stay silent or risk being fired.
Fidencio a native Ngäbe Buglé earns ¢30,000 colones per month ($56), working eight hours a day on a banana plantation without worker rights.
A worker shows his “uniform” for spraying, revealing his precarious conditions: a plastic suit that barely protects him from any agrochemical spills. He has no eye protection, putting his vision at risk from potential irritation or permanent blindness. The masks with filters have not been changed in over a year, and the gloves do not fit properly, leaving his arms exposed to any liquid spill that could burn his skin. His chest is also exposed to burns and other injuries.
These are the small planes that every week spray agrochemicals over the banana plantations, flying just meters above homes and schools in the Sixaola area. This causes various health issues in the population, ranging from common symptoms like headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and skin discomfort to more serious long-term health problems.
Many children and teenagers in Sixaola, Limón, end up leaving school in search of economic opportunities for their families, often working in banana plantations where they spend six hours a day cutting weeds and earning $8 in wages.
Children like this 13-year-old boy work six hours a day on banana plantations, earning $8 to $12 to help pay for school supplies. He dreams of attending school in 2025, but first, he must contribute to the family’s income by peeling and packaging bananas for export, mostly to Argentina. Child labor is widespread in the plantain industry, where young workers often face serious health risks from handling pesticides and working long hours under the harsh sun. At such a young age, male children are exposed to agrochemicals banned in Europe, leading to lifelong side effects such as chemical burns on their skin. Many of these cases eventually result in skin cancer.
Workers on the banana plantations of Del Monte, a multinational corporation, are not provided with protective eyewear, leaving them exposed to the damaging effects of toxic agrochemicals. One worker, who wishes to remain anonymous, has suffered from skin burns and vision problems since he began working in the fields in 1991. He reports a gradual decline in his eyesight, putting him at risk of permanent blindness. At 53 years old, he continues to labor under harsh conditions, earning just $20 a day for 8 hours of work, with no access to social security or adequate protective gear.
A worker on the farm bagging bananas with bags containing chemicals to ward off potential pests. This worker shows signs of wear on his knees after a decade of climbing up and down metal stairs. He also suffers from continuous back pain from dragging the ladder across long stretches of land. No protective equipment is provided, leading to the risk of agrochemical residues from banana leaves falling into his eyes, potentially causing permanent eye damage or eye irritation. Additionally, his skin is burned by the agrochemicals, and on many occasions, he has had to continue bagging bananas while planes illegally spray the fields. Planes are not supposed to spray when workers are in the fields, but this rule is not followed, especially on rainy days when spraying is paused. When the sun comes out, the use of agrochemicals triples, which is illegal and exposes employees to greater risk.
A worker running with 30 banana bunches around their waist on the Chiquita banana plantation.In an effort to reduce the carbon footprint, banana bunches that were previously transported by rail in the plantations are now manually carried by workers, who transport them on their backs. This practice has serious health consequences, mainly affecting their hips, pelvis, and vertebrae. Each bunch weighs between 40 and 60 kilograms, and workers carry up to 30 bunches at a time, amounting to a total weight of up to 1,300 kilograms per day, spread across 20 hectares. The use of outdated machinery and the lack of proper protective gear only exacerbate the long-term health issues they face. Workers are forced to rush across the plantations, sometimes running with their feet bleeding from the constant friction inside their plastic boots.
Domingo Becker, a pioneer in the fight for the rights of the Ngäbe Indigenous communities, spent over 20 years working on banana plantations. He endured low wages, mistreatment, and the harmful effects of agrochemicals. His stories shed light on the brutal conditions that continue to affect workers, who are trapped in a cycle of exploitation and slavery. Becker’s efforts to raise awareness of these issues have been crucial in advocating for better conditions and rights for Indigenous and local workers. This has led to violent threats against him, and he has also been imprisoned for protesting labor rights and demanding better conditions for banana plantation workers, as well as defending the rights of the Ngäbe Buglé Indigenous people.
A worker's hand after more than a decade in the banana industry, bagging bunches, suffering from the side effects of his work, such as chemical burns on his hands, skin irritations, constant headaches, and vision loss.
Shoulder of a worker on a Chiquita banana plantation. The worker speaks of his constant ailments and shows the scars from carrying over 200 bunches of bananas per day, each weighing between 40 to 60 kilos, covering a total of 20 hectares. For 10 years, the worker has been using a "concherito," a metal plate with a hook to transport bananas, which severely damages his shoulders and spine, enduring brutal physical pain in exchange for minimal wages of $16 to $21 per day. The poorly maintained equipment exacerbates the situation, causing further harm to their bodies. The Rainforest Alliance certification, meant to promote sustainability, has led to the displacement of motorized transport, forcing workers to carry the bananas manually across the fields.
A man carries a 60-kilo bunch of bananas using a "concherito," a metal plate with a hook that often causes severe shoulder injuries from the friction, leaving workers bleeding. This method places immense strain on their shoulders and spine. On the banana plantations, workers endure intense physical labor, carrying approximately 1,100 kilos of bananas a day on their waists. The use of outdated machinery and the lack of proper protective gear only exacerbate the long-term health issues they face. Workers are forced to rush across the plantations, sometimes running with their feet bleeding from the constant friction inside their plastic boots.
A worker cuts banana bunches without protective equipment on a transnational plantation.
Young worker spraying highly toxic agrochemicals without protective equipment on a Del Monte banana plantation. Most of these workers are between 20 and 35 years old. Workers often say younger people are assigned to spray because they can endure the immediate effects of agrochemicals more easily. As they age, they become expendable to the company, developing serious health issues. Once older and affected by these conditions, they are moved to less hazardous tasks like cutting leaves, which are considered to have “less impact” and less direct exposure to chemicals. However, even in these roles, workers still lack proper protective equipment.
Young workers, aged 20 to 30, are seen fumigating the plantations from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., earning a daily wage of $15 to $20. Yet, they suffer from severe skin burns, headaches, and nausea. Despite the dangerous conditions, they are often forced to stay in the fields even after the plantations have been sprayed with agrochemicals. Workers endure these risks, knowing that exposure to harmful chemicals intensifies with the heat of the day.
Sixaola, Limón, Costa Rica, 2024.
A worker shows his “uniform” for spraying, revealing his precarious conditions: a plastic suit that barely protects him from any agrochemical spills. He has no eye protection, putting his vision at risk from potential irritation or permanent blindness. The masks with filters have not been changed in over a year, and the gloves do not fit properly, leaving his arms exposed to any liquid spill that could burn his skin. His chest is also exposed to burns and other injuries.
Female worker from Chiquita Farms shows a video where her supervisor is seen in the banana washing area, constantly yelling and harassing workers. The video also reveals the poor condition of the protective equipment, which fails to adequately cover skin areas, leaving them exposed to high concentrations of chlorine that often exceed the allowed limits. A doctor from the Sixaola health center mentions that workers come in requesting medical leave due to headaches, constant migraines, fatigue from chemical exposure, rashes, and dizziness caused by the loud music played by the company as a strategy to increase production pace. This music, combined with the shouts of the supervisors, creates a deafening noise for many workers, who are forced to endure eight to twelve hours a day of excessively loud music, contributing to sonic pollution.
Rogelio, a worker at Chiquita, became completely blind in one eye and rapidly lost sight in the other after suffering a chemical burn. The lack of protective equipment made the damage much more severe. After the incident, the transnational company Chiquita did not compensate him for the harm caused. Instead of taking responsibility, the company reassigned him to a different position without addressing the issue.
Domingo Becker, a tireless advocate for the rights of Ngäbe Indigenous communities, spent over 20 years working on banana plantations, enduring low wages, mistreatment, and the harmful effects of agrochemicals. His personal experiences highlight the brutal conditions faced by workers, trapped in a cycle of exploitation and modern-day slavery. Through his efforts to raise awareness, Becker has been a leading voice in the fight for better working conditions and the rights of both Indigenous and local laborers. His activism has not come without consequences—he has faced violent threats and imprisonment for protesting labor abuses, demanding better conditions for banana plantation workers, and defending the rights of the Ngäbe Buglé people.
This house became a neutral zone. It belonged to the Transnational Del Monte but became a refuge for banana workers who went on strike more than 10 years ago due to exploitative labor conditions and violations of the law. Indigenous Ngäbe-Buglé workers from the Del Monte banana plantation now live here, many of whom, ironically, now work for Chiquita, where they also face exploitation. The reason they have been on strike for more than 10 years is due to an unjustified dismissal without compensation.
A.B. shares how her husband faces labor exploitation and how he must fight to survive on a salary below the minimum wage. Her husband, who prefers to remain anonymous, explains how their children and wife have been affected by the agrochemicals left on the plantation, and how simply bringing home work clothes soaked in these chemicals has caused illness and harmed their children's health. A.B.’s husband also mentions that the banana plantation where he works provides no protective equipment, resulting in chemical burns on his skin.
Eugenia, 60 years old, lives in a two-room house with more than 32 family members, including her grandchildren. She supports her household with a meager salary that barely covers their basic needs, leaving them in extreme poverty and constant vulnerability. Most of her grandchildren, all minors, work in the banana plantations alongside her elderly husband, who, like the rest of the family, is exploited by multinational companies. Despite their hard work, the family’s income is insufficient to meet even their most basic needs, and they endure harsh living conditions. They have no access to potable water due to the high levels of agrochemical contamination in the area, leaving Doña Eugenia and her grandchildren suffering from chronic health issues such as diarrhea and parasitic infections. Clean water is a luxury they cannot afford, as the pollution from the banana plantations has tainted the community’s water sources.