Fyffes has urged the European Commission to restrict the size of the import quotas awarded to suppliers when the 10 new members join the EU’s banana regime on May 1.
The EU banana regime which currently limits total annual imports to 4.1 million tonnes, or about 20 billion bananas, is designed to protect the incomes of poor producers in former European colonies.
David McCann, chief executive, said when Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the European Union in 1995 too many licences were awarded, resulting in falling prices.
The group expressed confidence that the new regime would have a limited impact on its operations because of recent strategic acquisitions in eastern Europe.
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