A small Philippine banana cooperative reportedly won an initial victory when authorities issued a temporary restraining order granting its plea for its members not to sell their produce to the multinational Unifrutti. 

Website Edgedavao.net reported the request was granted to the Mampising Farmers Marketing Cooperative (MFMC) by the Provincial Agrarian Reform Adjudicator (PARAD).

The 92 MFMC members have an aggregate area of 258 hectares inside the 707-hectare plantation export banana produce has been solely bought under 'monopoly conditions' by Unifrutti, according to the article.

It also alleged the price paid to the MFMC members was far lower than the market value.

As the members tried to ship out their 800 boxes of newly harvested Cavendish bananas on Tuesday, officers and security guards of another cooperative said to be loyal to Unifrutti blocked their way that almost resulted in a scuffle between the two groups, according to the article.

They were reportedly restrained by peacekeeping police and military personnel around the vicinity, causing a standoff.

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