This color film, “Green Gold of Ecuador”, made for a TV series called “il mondo” (Italian for the World) was probably produced in the early 1960’s because Cabana Bananas were using disease resistant methods by that time, and because of the name Standard Fruit & Steamship Co. (it changed to Cooke Inc. in 1964, later to Dole Food Co.). It was produced and directed by William F.L. Singer, and the voice-overs were done by Mai Tai Film Production International of Burbank, CA.
It opens with a banana stalk, 2 frigate birds, a fiesta, architecture with Spanish influence, markets, and a matador (0:10-0:44). Shows the world with the words “il mondo” on it (0:45-0:48). The narrator, Bill Singer, talks about Ecuador (0:49-1:46). A view of an aircraft, Aerolineas Peruanas S.A., or APSA, serving the area from 1956-1971 (1:47-1:55). Ecuadorian flags shown with the credits (1:56-2:15). Scenes of Ecuador, Land of Eternal Spring, and its cities, Guayaquil and Quito, are shown (2:18-2:49). Guayaquil with its ports (2:50-2:57). The Galapagos Islands with a Nazca booby (2:58-3:08). The Presidential Guard, the Annual Fiestas de Quito where the bullfights attack the top Matadors are shown (3:09-3:51). Welcome to Alamos Farm, a banana farm (3:53-4:00). Views of the banana farm (4:01-4:14).
How to grow bananas. Working the land and checking the soil (4:17-4:47). Scenes of the banana root being cleaned and prepared for planting (4:47-5:16). Seeds are placed in a liquid to eliminate bacteria (5:17-6:23). Seeds are planted (6:24-7:09). Plants are fertilized, cared for, and logs kept by Engineers (7:10-8:40). The blossoms appear then bananas appear. Blossoms are removed (8:41-9:22). Bananas are hand sprayed for disease (9:23-9:53) and aerial fumigation is used (9:54-10:18). Prevent Johnson Spots by spraying a fungicide in the bags that cover the bananas and by keeping tips from touching (10:19-11:08). Trim trees and support weight (11:09-11:38). Cutting of the banana stalk and tree with machetes (12:10-13:31). Stalks placed on banana train then taken to processing plants (13:32-14:17). Plants process the bananas by cutting into smaller cluster using a Banana Knife (14:18-15:09). Placed into cool water to clean and inspect and cut into smaller cluster (15:10-15:31), dipped into a protective solution called a LPE, or phospholipid (15:32-15:45), then weighed by a Spinks scale (15:46-16:00). Sticker labels are put on each and a sealant is applied to the stem (16:10-16:26). Standard Fruit & Steamboat Co., started by Vaccaro Brothers, inspectors check fruit and size (16:27-17:19). Boxes are made and bananas packed (17:20-17:53). Once at the port, they are loaded on a Vaccaro refrigerated ship for transport (17:54-19:08). Scenes of Port of Long Beach shown unloading bananas using a gantry and conveyor belts (19:09-21:18). Scenes of trucks carrying fruit to stores (21:19-21:50). Picture of green bananas turning yellow (21:51-22:09) Bananas display in store (22:10-22:55). Banana foods shown: banana fritters, banana smoothies, banana pancakes, chicken salvador, bananas almondine, gelatin salad, champagne or punch, or banana flambe (22:23-25:01). Credits are given with scenes of Ecuador banana production (15:02-26:48).
Standard Fruit Company (now Dole Food Company) was established in the United States in 1924 by the Vaccaro brothers. Its forerunner was started in 1899, when Sicilian immigrants Joseph, Luca and Felix Vaccaro, together with Salvador D’Antoni, began importing bananas to New Orleans from La Ceiba, Honduras. By 1915 the business had grown so large that it bought most of the ice factories in New Orleans in order to refrigerate its banana ships, leading to its president Joseph Vaccaro becoming known as the “Ice King”.
Along with the United Fruit Company, Standard Fruit played a significant role in the governments of Honduras and other Central American countries, which became known as “banana republics” due to the high degree of control which the fruit companies held over the nations.
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