Unrest over banana worker payments took a turn for the worse in Colombia this week, with confrontations between police and protesters leading to one death and 24 injuries, local press reported.

Website Elmundo.com reported the disturbances occurred in the northern municipalities of Mutatá and Turbo, with the death of a 40-year-old protester in the latter, according to Radio Caracol.

El Mundo also reported around 300 people gathered in Mutatá on Tuesday night, setting attacking several buildings including the residency of municipal mayor Jaime Darío López.

The confrontations happened after police tried to disperse protesters who were blocking access roads to the major economic hub of Medellin.

Dignidad Platanera spokesperson Manuel García, whose group is leading the protests, told website Elcolombiano.com the blockades were due to a 10-week delay in payments from trader Banacol to small-scale growers, with debts totaling around COP5 billion (US$2.65 million).

A Banacol representative told www.freshfruitportal.com an agreement was reached with protesters yesterday afternoon, and the strikes have now finished.

She said the company had announced a payment plan Tuesday to cover six of the 10 weeks in question, and that transfers had already started to go through.

When asked why the violence happened after that announcement had been made to growers, the representative said the violence was a result of involvement from people were not banana workers, and was also an issue of authorities being unable to maintain public order.

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www.freshfruitportal.com