11.   Caribbean producers generally have higher costs and produce less fruit than U.S.-owned companies operating in Central and South America.

12.   Chiquita has found an unlikely ally among Caribbean producers.

13.   Smaller Caribbean producers say they cannot compete with the larger Latin American plantations and need the preferences.

14.   Technically, Caribbean producers cannot compete with their near neighbours.

15.   The agreement favored some Caribbean producers through tariff quotas and licensing restrictions.

16.   The Caribbean producers generally have higher costs and can produce less fruit than U.S.-owned companies operating in Central and South America.

17.   The Windward Islands governments feared their rivals would give preference to selling South American bananas in lucrative European markets, where the Caribbean producers enjoy a protected status.

18.   Caribbean producers insist that the EU is committed under the Lome Convention to continuing favourable access rules, which are necessary because the Caribbean faces much higher costs.

19.   Caribbean producers incurred higher costs because of steep terrain, the limited size of the islands, soil quality and climatic hazards, the association said.

20.   The treaty also commits the signatories to continue working toward a resolution of a trade dispute over bananas, acknowledging the importance of European markets to Caribbean producers.