Brussels, Oct 15 - The European Commission fined banana importers Chiquita, Dole and Weichert a total 60.3 million euros ($82.4 million) on Wednesday for price fixing in violation of the EU's strict antitrust laws.
"The European Commission has found that banana importers Chiquita, Dole and Weichert participated in a cartel between 2000 and 2002. Chiquita was not fined as it provided information to the Commission that enabled it to open its investigation," the EU executive said in a statement.
"Del Monte is held jointly and severally liable for the payment of the fine imposed on Weichert as it controlled Weichert at the time of the infringement," the statement said.
California-based Dole was fined 45.6 million euros, with U.S. company Del Monte Corp and German Weichert jointly accountable for 14.7 million euros of the fine.