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Camellia (company)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Camellia
Company typeCorporate group, Public limited company
LSECAM
IndustryAgriculture
FoundedAugust 15, 1889; 135 years ago (1889-08-15)
Headquarters,
United Kingdom
Area served
International
Number of employees
78,000+[1]
Websitewww.camellia.plc.uk

Camellia Public Limited Company (Camellia PLC) is an agricultural group of companies, incorporated as a public limited company, with seat in Linton, Kent in the United Kingdom. Camellia produces core crops like macadamia, avocados and tea and specialty crops like wine grapes and blueberries.[2] The company has over 78,000 employees.[1]

History

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Camellia has historical roots in Kolkata, Malawi and Kenya.[3] The Camellia name was first used in 1964.[1]

In June 2020, 85 people living at and near a plantation operated by Camellia's Kenyan subsidiary Kakuzi took Camellia to court in London.[4] The claimants alleged human rights abuses by Kakuzi security guards including murder, rape, violent attacks and unlawful detainments. The Kenya Human Rights Commission, the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations and Ndula Resource Center supported the claimants. The case was settled in February 2021, for a sum of £4.6 million.[5] At the same time, Camellia settled similar allegations against its Malawian subsidiary Eastern Produce Malawi for a sum of £2.3 million.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "History". Camellia PLC. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Camellia PLC". Financial Times. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  3. ^ "CAMELLIA PLC Annual Report 2021" (PDF).
  4. ^ "79 Kenyans sue Camellia in the UK for alleged systemic human rights abuses by its Kenyan subsidiary". Business & Human Rights Resource Centre. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  5. ^ "SOMO welcomes settlement between British agribusiness giant and Kenyan claimants" (Press release). SOMO. 14 February 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  6. ^ Juma, Victor (13 February 2021). "Sh696m payout for Kakuzi rights violation victims". Business Daily Africa.