A recent report published by Public Eye in April 2026 shed light on egregious labour rights abuses on banana farms supplying Chiquita in Guatemala.

The reported abuses include wage theft, payment below the minimum wage, extremely long working hours, and poor living conditions for agricultural workers on the farms. Workers were also allegedly exposed to a fungicide called Mancozeb, which was banned in the European Union in 2020 and in Switzerland in 2021 due to health concerns.

Workers said that the toxic chemical is sprayed without warning or being allowed to take a break while they are working. As a result, it is sprayed directly on them and remains on their clothes and skin. They have allegedly been suffering health consequences from that exposure.

According to the report, the agrochemical company Syngenta sells the fungicide locally in countries such as Guatemala, while the Agria also exported 180 tonnes from Europe to Guatemala.

Public Eye contacted Syngenta, and the company said it operates “in full compliance with local laws and regulations.” It added that it is a mid-sized player in the mancozeb market and stated that its product is “not registered for use in banana plantations in Guatemala.” The company also stressed that tropical agriculture differs fundamentally from that practiced in Europe and that, consequently, “plant protection approaches must also be tailored to local realities.”

In April 2026, the BHRC contacted Agria to request its response to these allegations, but the company did not respond.

Public Eye also contacted Chiquita for comment, but the company did not respond.