Canaries to grow South American banana varieties
to prevent unwanted imports by tourists of sweet bananas

It’s a sort of coals to Newcastle story … and one of how local markets are changing to accommodate the preferences of immigrant communities. And of all things it is the Canary banana which has had to make room – albeit a very restricted one – for “foreign” bananas.

Because apparently the local, sweet variety is just too sweet for the taste of South American palates, accustomed to the fruit that grows at home, in Colombia, Ecuador or Cuba.

So spotting a gap in the evolving Canary market, the Gran Canaria Cabildo has planted out groves of several South American varieties on its experimental farm on that island with a view to eventually commercializing them. And the point is they have got to be grown here and not imported.

The introduction of bananas from abroad is strictly prohibited in the islands in order to protect the local variety from introduced diseases. But concerns have been voiced that some people in the South American community could be tempted to bring bananas in off their own bat, so to speak, and that fear, combined with the growing demand has persuaded the authorities to consider the possibility of cultivating several “alien” varieties on a limited basis. Among them are the topocho, a fatter and larger banana than the diminutive Canary fruit which is eaten either fried or boiled.

Source: tenerifenews.com