The banana is the second favourite fruit in Germany. 7.9 kilos per capita are consumed on average per year. Only the apple with 26 kilo is more popular across Germany. The most important markets for bananas within the EU are the supermarkets and discounters. In food retailing, the bananas are often offered as promotional items at low prices.Market price too low
The current market price of 100 kilos of bananas is 135 Euro. That makes a kilo price of 1.35 Euro per kilo. For Dieter Overath, CEO of the organization TransFair e.V. (Fairtrade Germany) are such prices too low?: “There is something wrong when the prices of the offered bananas are only the half that of the fair trade ones. Fair trade bananas are supporting sustainable growing. It is obvious that with such an extreme low kilo price, it is impossible to support a humane and sustainable production.” Fairtrade is working closely together with the producers of bananas.
They are also interested in intensively improving
the living and working conditions in developing countries.
High demand for organic bananas
In 2013 around 1.16 million tons of bananas were imported to Germany. Dieter Overath reports that the demand, especially for organic bananas, in Germany is very high: "The demand is greater than the supply. 45 percent of all organic bananas are Fair Trade certified. "In order to cover this high demand of bananas, a steady supply must be ensured. Bananas are offered throughout the hole year. But during the last year the banana production was threatened by the aggressive banana fungus Tropical Race 4 (TR4). Fairtrade Germany explains: "The cultivation in monocultures involves a high risk: The sensitivity to fungal diseases increases with the immunization of pests. Today's export variety "Cavendish" is threatened with the further spread of damaging spores and could disappear completely."
Fairtrade bananas with good quality
Despite the current hazards caused by the banana fungus, the current quality of Fairtrade bananas is good. Overath is sure: "Fairtrade bananas have a very high quality due to environmental and social standards." The market share of fair trade bananas in Germany is around 5 percent
Tobias Thiele
TransFair e.V.
Remigiusstr. 21
50937 Köln-Sülz, Germany
Tel. +49 (0) 221 - 94 20 40 44
Fax: +49 (0) 221 - 94 20 40 40
t.thiele@fairtrade-deutschland.de
www.fairtrade-deutschland.de