About Plantations J. Eglin
Plantations J. Eglin , a subsidiary of the SIPEF group, is one of Côte d’Ivoire’s leading banana producers. Established in 1959, it manages multiple plantations in the southern Lagunes District, cultivating high-quality Cavendish bananas across more than 1 200 hectares at sites including Azaguié, Agboville, and Motobé. The company adheres to GlobalG.A.P., Rainforest Alliance, and Fairtrade standards, reflecting its commitment to sustainable agriculture, product quality, and responsible business practices.
Plantations J. Eglin also supports the local community by providing employment, housing, and healthcare, and invests in education initiatives, helping to improve lives while delivering premium bananas to the UK, European, and West African markets.
Plantations
Azaguié 1 and 2
Azaguié, the site closest to Abidjan, hosts the head office and most of the company’s services departments. It is also home to two banana production sectors and two associated packing stations.
The agricultural area is somewhat fragmented, divided into several land titles owned by Plantations J. Eglin , along with a few rented areas.
Azaguié 1 is the historic site where Plantations J. Eglin began banana production in 1959. Azaguié 2 was first planted in 2015. Both sites are entirely planted on hillsides with Cavendish bananas, the Grande Naine variety, covering nearly 400 hectares in total.
Agboville
The Agboville plantation is mature and well-balanced. The site is fully planted with Cavendish bananas, the Grande Naine variety, with areas carefully aligned to the available water reserves.
Most of the plantation is on hillsides, where banana bunches are transported by trailer to the packing station. The remaining areas, planted in low-lying sections, use a cableway system for transportation.
Motobé
Motobé is located on the edge of the Comoe River. It is the most complex plantation to manage during the rainy season, with effective drainage being key to the success of its compact clayey soils.
Permanent maintenance of water collectors and drains, along with the use of a lift pump, is essential to maintain the optimum water table level. The plantation is planted entirely with the William variety, a hardier type of Cavendish, making it better suited to these challenging conditions.
The estate is fully equipped with a cableway for transporting banana bunches.
Packing and export
Bananas are packed six days a week at the four packing stations, which have a combined capacity of 50 tonnes per day. Various packaging options are available and continually updated to meet customer needs, including bulk in cartons and crates, or prepacked in bags.
The bananas are then exported from the packing stations in refrigerated containers and shipped to Europe.
Production at the four stations has been rationalised as part of the company’s social responsibility approach to working hours and conditions, in line with Rainforest Alliance certification. This approach has been fully approved and implemented, reflecting the environmental, ethical, and social principles upheld by the company.
Meet the management
Plantations J. Eglin is led by an executive committee of senior managers responsible for the daily operational leadership of the company in Côte d’Ivoire. The committee is headed by the directeur général (general manager), supported by deputies and directors. This leadership team ensures strategic oversight and operational coordination across the plantations, packing stations, and support services.