The post-banana company crisis.  Finca 6 and the former fincas of Palmar Sur, even today, 30  years after that event can perceive the effect of the Banana Company’s departure. The event meant the rupture of an axis over which the southern society had been built and its economy. In the stories of former banana workers the harsh parting of the company is remembered as a tragedy for the region. A Period of chaos took over; more than 2000 persons were left unemployed and the fincas were abandoned.  The company dismantled the dock, abandoned the railway, the houses were empty and the brushes covered houses and former plantations.

Reconstructing the world. There were efforts to promote a series of productive projects under the figure of workers’ cooperatives linked to cocoa, banana and plantain. For different reasons, many projects failed and in some zones there is a feeling of uncertainty.

In 2001, a social movement originated the creation of SURCOOP, a “mega cooperative” grouping five fincas 5,6,8,11, and finca Puntarenas. But SURCOOP has also faced financial problems and a decrease in plantain exports. The economy of these and other cooperatives in  the  region is poor.

Eradication and migration.  Since the departure of the Banana Company, the population of the former fincas experiences cycles of economic success and failure, as well as successive migratory waves. In this situation of eradication, the eldest and the retired stay at the fincas, and those having steady job outside of them. The rest, if they can, migrate.

Over the last years, the settlers of Finca 6 live with the hope of assuring the ownership of the dwellings. This situation is reflected in the high migration and low population density experienced by the Osa canton.

2013