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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000101063-05-000043.txt : 20050803
<SEC-HEADER>0000101063-05-000043.hdr.sgml : 20050803
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20050803135932
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000101063-05-000043
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20050801
FILED AS OF DATE:		20050803
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20050803

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000101063
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION - CROPS [0100]
		IRS NUMBER:				041923360
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			NJ
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		250 E FIFTH ST
		CITY:			CINCINNATI
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			45202
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5137848880

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
		STREET 2:		250 EAST FIFTH STREET
		CITY:			CINCINNATI
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			45202

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	UNITED BRANDS CO
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19900403

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ARNTZEN MORTEN
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001192851

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-01550
		FILM NUMBER:		05995043

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		200 PARK AVENUE
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10166
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2125781900

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		511 FIFTH AVENUE
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10017
</SEC-HEADER>
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<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
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<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-08-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000101063</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>cqb</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001192851</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ARNTZEN MORTEN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>511 FIFTH AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10017</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-08-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>321</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>20938</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Table I: Item 4. Fees for service as a member of the Board of Directors deferred in stock units to the Company's Directors Deferred Compensation Plan (&quot;DDCP&quot;). Due to an administrative error, the cash and stock deferrals to Mr. Arntzen's DDCP account for the first and second quarters of 2005 were made based on his 2004, rather than his 2005, elections.  The error was discovered and corrected on August 1, 2005. Additional stock units reported reflect Mr. Arntzen's 2005 election to have the cash portion of his director's quarterly compensation (which consists of $6,250 in quarterly fees and $2,500 in quarterly committee chair fees) deferred, 50% in cash and 50% in common stock units (which must be settled in Common Stock).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Stock units credited represent 162 additional units in respect of the quarter ended March 31, 2005 and 159 additional units in respect of the quarter ended June 30, 2005, based in each case on the aggregate fair market value (the average of the high and low sales prices) of Chiquita's Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape on the last trading day of the respective calendar quarter.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Robert W. Olson as Attorney-in-Fact for Morten Arntzen</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-08-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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