Honduras: Ministry of Labor confirms violations committed on Fyffes melon farms

The Honduran Ministry of Labor has confirmed serious labour rights violations committed by Fyffes/Sumitomo on its melon farms in Choluteca, ordering the company to compensate the workers concerned and pay fines totalling nearly USD 800,000 to the state.

Those affected are mainly seasonal agricultural workers, many of whom have been working on these farms for more than two decades without the basic protections afforded to permanent workers. Although seasonal workers make up most of the workforce and are employed for several harvest cycles, they have been systematically treated as disposable labour, with limited access to legal rights and social protections. For years, Fyffes repeatedly refused to sign an agreement with the seasonal workers' union, STAS, affiliated to the IUF. These violations have been regularly documented by Rel-UITA, the IUF's regional organization in Latin America.

In its investigation, the Honduran Labor Inspectorate found that Fyffes subsidiaries Suragroh and Melon Export S.A. were not complying with Honduran labour law in their treatment of seasonal agricultural workers. These violations included non-payment of overtime and seasonal bonuses, non-payment of mandatory social security contributions, and inadequate occupational health and safety standards on farms. The Labor Inspectorate also reaffirmed that seasonal agricultural workers are entitled to the same rights and protections as permanent workers, rejecting the company's attempts to deprive its seasonal workforce of their legal rights.

Although Fyffes has sold its operations to Martori Farms, this does not absolve it of its responsibilities. Fyffes must act in good faith and honour its legal obligations by paying its former workers the wages and benefits owed to them under Honduran law. Although Fyffes has sold its operations to the US company Martori Farms, this transaction does not absolve it of its legal responsibilities.

Fyffes must act in good faith and fully comply with its legal obligations by paying its former workers the wages and benefits owed to them under Honduran law. Divestment by companies cannot be used as a means of evading their responsibilities. Accountability is essential to ensure justice for workers whose labour contributed to the company's profits.