Royal Banana Monopoly facts for kids
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Native name
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Italian: Regia Azienda Monopolio Banane
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| Founded | 2 December 1935 |
| Defunct | 1946 (reestablished 1950) |
| Headquarters |
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Italian Somaliland
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Area served
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Italian Empire |
The Royal Banana Monopoly (its Italian name was Regia Azienda Monopolio Banane, or RAMB) was a special company created by the Italian government. It started in Mogadishu in 1935. Its main job was to move and sell bananas grown in Italian Somaliland to other parts of the Italian Empire. This company was directly managed by Italy's Colonial Ministry, which looked after its colonies. Even though the last bananas were shipped to Italy in early 1940, RAMB officially continued until 1946, surviving the first years of World War II.
Contents
A Brief History of RAMB
Why Bananas Became Important
After 1929, the price of cotton dropped a lot. This made bananas the most valuable crop grown in the Italian Empire. Because of this, the Royal Banana Monopoly (RAMB) was created.
RAMB's Fleet and Operations
RAMB had a small group of seven ships. Four of these were new "banana boats." These special ships were designed to carry bananas quickly from the Horn of Africa to Europe. RAMB worked closely with Italian banana farmers in areas like Giuba and Genale. These farmers were part of a group called the Federation of Banana Growers of Somalia (FEBAS).
In 1939, RAMB's four main ships – the "Ramb I", "Ramb II", "Ramb III", and "Ramb IV" – along with three other cargo ships, transported a huge amount of bananas. They moved 450,000 tons of bananas to Italy that year.
RAMB During World War II
When Italy joined World War II, RAMB's banana boats were changed to be used by the navy. They served in the waters near Africa and in the Mediterranean Sea. Out of the seven ships, only the Ramb III survived the war. Later, this ship was turned into a personal yacht for Josip Broz Tito, who was the president of Yugoslavia.
After the War: The AMB
Italy took back control of Somalia in 1950. The government then restarted the Banana Monopoly. It was now called the Azienda Monopolio Banana (AMB). The goal was to help the farming industry, which had been badly damaged. The AMB continued to set prices and manage the sale of bananas in Somalia. It operated until 1964, which was four years after Somalia became an independent country.
RAMB's Ships
Here is a list of the ships that were part of the Royal Banana Monopoly's fleet:
| Image | Name | Started Service | Weight (GRT) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ramb I | 6 December 1937 | 3,666 | Sunk on 27 February 1941 | |
| Ramb II | 6 September 1937 | 3,676 | Sunk on 12 January 1945 | |
| Ramb III | 1937 | 3,675 | Rescued after the war and became the Yugoslav training ship Galeb | |
| Ramb IV | 1937 | 3,667 | Sunk on 10 May 1942 | |
| Duca degli Abruzzi | 1933 | 2,314 | Sunk by its own crew on 8 May 1942 | |
| Capitano Bottego | 1933 | 2,316 | Sunk on 6 April 1941 | |
| Capitano A. Cecchi | 1934 | 2,320 | Sunk on 8 May 1941 |
