Tuesday, 06 July 2010 19:22 Dine & Cook Staff Report

In move to boost the safety and security of the international banana supply chain, Chiquita Brands International recently hosted a Banana Trade Law Enforcement Conference in Antwerp, Belgium.

This first-ever, privately-sponsored law enforcement conference was developed by Chiquita to facilitate communication between industry partners and law enforcement agencies with the goal of securing the point-to-point security of all shipping vessels.

"A safe and secure supply chain across the globe is of vital importance to Chiquita's business and the security of the countries in which we operate," said Fernando Aguirre, chairman and chief executive officer. "It's not just our responsibility to ensure our products move through the supply chain as quickly as possible, but it is also our duty to collaborate with government agencies in securing our ports and the vessels and cargo that travel through them."

Director of Chiquita Corporate Security Edmundo Guevara, a former Special Agent with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, helped coordinate the conference. The conference brought together delegates from eight South American and European countries, leaders in banana supply, shipping, and ports as well as leaders in law enforcement.

Attendees collaborated to implement new practices to secure the banana supply chain. Two dozen key recommendations resulted from the conference as well as a commitment to reconvene in September 2010 to measure their effectiveness.

With annual revenues of $3.5 billion, Chiquita employs approximately 21,000 people and has operations in nearly 80 countries worldwide.