Distinguishable and reasonably priced bananas from Demeter

The German-born Christoph Meier exclusively grows Demeter bananas on the estate "Girasol" in Azua. The banana pioneer Christoph Meier has supported and advised farmers in the region when converting from conventional farming to Demeter cultivation after the farm was founded in 1989. Nowadays the producers of organic fruit and vegetables in Azua have organized themselves in the export company "Horizontes".

Norbert Schick has had contact with the Demeter estate in the Dominican Republic for a long time. "Even when I was working for another company in the '80s, I imported these bananas to Germany," said Schick, "I often went there myself and had a look at the growing conditions. On the Demeter estate “Girasol” the bio-dynamical and anthroposophic farming is reliable."

But not only the growing conditions of a Demeter banana differ from a conventional banana. "You can clearly see the difference," explains Norbert Schick "a Demeter banana is usually smaller and that makes them more recognizable. The size of the banana depends on the amount of nitrogen the banana trees take up through their roots. This banana offers customers a great taste experience, because of the distinguished taste." Schick describes the Demeter banana as reasonably priced, "The bananas are a little more dearer than conventional bananas."

Norbert Schick imports the Demeter bananas for the company Grell Naturkost through the Swedish company "Denamisca". John Gerhard is the manager of "Denamisca" and a former client of Norbert Schick. "After we dissolved our former company, John Gerhard took over the Demeter banana import from the Dominican Republic. John Gerhard is an expert in organic banana cultivation and has been a consultant in many projects."

"I find that Demeter cultivation also includes the idea of "Fair Trade”. Farming the Demeter way means promoting a social infrastructure and improving the working conditions of the harvesters.