Canarian bananas rely on research for their survival
Although not many growers have abandoned conventional growing techniques in favour of organic methods, around 1,000 (of more than 8,000) are now considering the possibility.It is difficult to find a more clear example in the Canary Islands of an activity whose profitability, and continuity, relies as much on.....

Ghana gets 7.2 million Euro for banana export
Ghana is to receive 7.2 million Euro from the European Union to help with the production and export of Bananas.Finance Minister Seth Tekper signed the financing agreement on behalf of the government, while EU Ambassador, Claude Marten initialed on behalf of the EU.The money will be used for the Banana.....

Slovenian banana supplier opens logistics centre in Ljubljana
Slovenian company Rastoder, one of the biggest banana wholesalers in the world, this week opened a new logistics centre at the BTC shopping district in Ljubljana, from which it will supply cities up to 500 kilometres away. The centre includes a state-of-the art banana ripening facility and storage space for.....

Dominican Republic: Tornado affects 30% of banana production
30 percent of La Vega’s (Dominican Republic) banana plantations were affected because of the tornado that struck this province early Saturday morning.During a tour conducted by the director of the Dominican Agrarian Institute (IAD), Radhames Valenzuela, and the Administrator of the Agricultural Bank, Angel.....

Philippines: Banana shipments to Japan and China up
Banana growers belonging to the Federation of ARB, banana co-operatives in Davao, are now exporting an additional 6,000 boxes of fruit per week to Japan and China.Fedco president Ireneo Dalayon said they started shipping out 3,000 boxes of bananas to another new buyer from Japan early this year and that is.....

AU: New South Wales banana growers critical of national body
A mid north coast banana grower said in five years he's seen no benefit from a national levyThe Australian Banana Growers Council introduced the levy in 2008 to raise money for industry research and development, and promotion.Coffs Harbour grower Paul Shoker said the Queensland based national body has.....

Serviceplan and Fyffes write banana history
The German advertising agency Serviceplan recently used an innovative technique - attaching cartoons toFyffes's bananas, usinglaser and a special printer. The aim was to make the banana more popular amongst children across nine countries by bringing them in contact with healthy foodstuff,in a playful.....

Market goes bananas for BanaBay!
Following the successful launch of the new BanaBay brand of bananas in the UK, managing director Mark O’Sullivan reports strong growth within the first quarter of the year.“We have seen weekly imports increase by 150% since the beginning of the year,” he confirms. “That is equivalent to 300,000 extra bananas.....

Sunkist promotes healthy blood pressure
This May, High Blood Pressure Education Month, Sunkist invites Americans to join in the fight against heart disease by taking the S'alternative Pledge, challenging consumers to flavor their foods with a squeeze of fresh Sunkist lemons for one week to reduce sodium intake. For each pledge received at.....

TADECO gets PhilGAP second year in a row
Cavendish banana producer and exporter Tagum Agricultural Development Company, Inc. (TADECO), the first to obtain Philippine Good Agricultural Practices (PhilGAP) certification in 2012, has done it again in 2013.It was joined this year by its sister company, the Anflo Banana Corporation.TADECO and Anflo.....

India: Opposition mounted to GM bananas
Anti-genetically modified (GM) food groups on Wednesday announced a campaign against the Government’s move to promote GM bananas.As part of the campaign, an online petition opposing the move has been initiated by Navdanya, Mahila Anna Swaraj, Diverse Women for Diversity, Initiative for Health & Equity in.....

Banana industry plans internet data portal
The Australian banana industry is seeking tenders for suppliers to build a banana production and marketing information system to improve the resilience of an industry sometimes hit by cyclones and often threatened by overseas pests and diseases.The tender is being managed by Horticulture Australia Ltd, The.....

Matanuska Mocambique plans to export 54,000 tons of banana
Matanuska Moçambique is expected to export 54,000 tons ofgrownbananas to the Middle East this year. The bananas are grown at the company's agricultural unit in Metocheria, in the Monapo district of Nampula province, the company’s chief executive said.John Dwyer told daily newspaper Notícias that as of 2014.....

Fresh Del Monte profits hit by lower fruit prices
Fresh Del Monte said its profit fell 34 percent in the first quarter as weaker demand led to lower banana prices in Europe.The company, which sells a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, said sales volume for bananas rose 3 percent during the quarter. But the prices it charged worldwide fell by 1 percent.....

Philippines still waiting to send first banana shipment to USA
The Philippines is still waiting for the US government to sign the work plan for the maiden shipment of 3,000 metric tons of Cavendish bananas, which was targeted to take place in April, the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) said.The shipment hasn't happened until now because "there is no formal signing yet,".....

African bananas can become a dangerous competitor
Asprocan: The EU should do more to protect Canarian bananas
Although the beginning of the "Plátano de Canarias 2013" campaign was marked by storms and the loss of around 3 million kilos during February, the current production volumes are similar to last year's around the same date.The total damage caused by these adverse weather conditions will be felt in the long.....

Biofuel based on banana waste
Bananas in poor condition could become a type of biofuel thanks to a study by the Canary Islands Technological Institute (ITC) with the support of the DISA Foundation.Douglas Escalante (an intern of the study) stated that the first step is to generate gas from the waste of banana trees, which can be obtained.....

Ecuadorian bananas promoted in Japan
Ecuadorian firms and ProEcuador conducted a promotion for Ecuadorian bananas at the Japanese supermarket chain Maruetsu.The organisers of the event arranged tastings of fresh bananas and chocolate fondue. Sales were made totalling 2,500 dollars. It is estimated that around 20,000 people attended the.....

Europe largest banana importer worldwide
The European Union is the largest consumer and importer of bananas in the world. In 2011, people in the EU consumed about 5.2 million tons of bananas. Approximately 4.6 million tons of these were imported. Approximately 611,000 tons were produced within the EU - mainly on the Canary Islands. Approximately.....

Banana the number 1 fruit in Britain
A recent survey carried out by the office fruit delivery company Fruitdrop found that when it comes to snacking on fruit, most people in Britain - 40% in fact - prefer to have a banana above anything else.Brits' top five fruits, in order of preference, are:1. Bananas (40%)2. Apples (23%)3. Pears (14%)4......

Peru: New banana breeding technique "disease free"
Peru's National Institute for Agricultural Innovation (INIA) will release a new plant breeding technique at the end of the year that uses thermal multiplication chambers in organic banana plantations, INIA engineer Juan Carlos Rojas said.According to Rojas, the technological implementation seeks to spread.....

DestapaBanana launched in Argentina
DetapaBanana, the product that transforms fruit into a natural tasty dessert, was launched at Jumbo and Vea supermarkets in Argentina in March, offering free samples and other promotions. The reaction from consumers was extraordinary and there appears to be a promising market for the product.Argenfruit S.A.,.....

Alaskan finds "deadly" spider in bunch of bananas
All 6-year-old Isabelle Tavares wanted Sunday night was a snack. Instead, what she found was a Wandering Spider, lurking inside a bunch of bananas. "I like my spider," Isabelle said, as she held the deceased spider in a Petri dish. Still, she preferred it when it was alive and kicking. Her mother, Jennifer.....

EU donates 48 million Euro to Cameroon bananas
The European Union has offered 48,000,000 Euro to the Cameroon banana sector.European Union Ambassador, Raul Mateus Paula made the revelation in Douala on Monday, April 16, 2013, at a seminar EU organized to launch support measures codenamed Mab for banana exporting countries of the African, Caribbean.....

Philippines US banana exports may finally leave this month
The Philippine government said on Monday that the initial shipment of 3,000 metric tons of Cavendish bananas to the United States may finally take place before the end of April.The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said the shipment of Cavendish bananas to the US is expected to prop up.....

India: GM banana project transferring from Australia
Even before the debate on the safety regime on genetically modified (GM) food crops has been settled in India, there are now new challenges with GM fruit in the pipeline. This time it is with the banana, supposedly genetically modified in the laboratories of Australia being shipped to India. The Australian.....

Ukrainian market for exotic fruit improves
After a few years when demand for exotic fruit in Ukraine lagged, fruit importers are noting an improvement in the market.“After 2008 there was a weakening in the demand for exotic fruits,” said Oleg Aleksandrov, manager of the Ukranian Fruit Company. “But during the last two years there has been a rebound.....

Vittorio Grotta (DOLE Italia)
Initial expectations for the 2013 banana campaign have not been met
The 2013 banana campaign seemed to be going well especially and January and until mid-February. Then, however, consumption and demand did not increase because of a series of concurrent factors.This is the analysis of Vittorio Grotta, CEO of Dole Italia, who adds that "we had to sell too much produce from the.....

Sudan to be world producer of banana
Director of Fruits and Banana Research Centre, Prof. Salah Babikir, said Sudan sought South African experience to install a modern irrigation system to grow banana.Speaking to Sudan Vision, he said such irrigation system will be the first of its kind and will be generalized in the country. He said if such a.....

Plátano de Canarias launches new promotional campaign
Plátano de Canarias has just launched its new promotional campaign, aimed at reaching consumers with a "rain of bananas" charged with optimism to ward off the instability generated by the current financial situation.The promotion kicked off last week on national and local television and will continue until.....

India: Punjabi banana growers change direction
Interest in banana cultivation is on the wane in Punjab, despite huge attempts at diversification. The state farmer's commission received almost no demand for the crop which, as a substitute for rice has been cultivated over 150ha across the state. Experts say that the growers are now going to attempt to.....

Banana company sued in Costa Rica
The Compañía Bananera del Atlántico Limitada COBAL, a subsidiary of Chiquita Brands, heiress of the United Fruit Company, is facing a lawsuit in Costa Rica for environmental damages.The Association for the Development of Ecology reported the company to the Administrative and Civil Tribunal of the Treasury.....

Ecuador: Banana producers demand more security
Since, in recent years, various banana producers have been killed in the province of El Oro (Ecuador) as a result of crime, yesterday, a group of banana leaders asked the Governor of El Oro to be granted permission to bear arms so they will be able to defend themselves.When Juan Andrés Altamirano Moreno, 28,.....

Stolen banana packing equipment recovered
Detectives in the Western Australian town of Carnarvon have recovered $6,000 worth of packing equipment stolen from a banana shed last weekend.The Sweeter Banana packing shed was broken into over the Easter long weekend, with thieves taking industrial scales and other agriculture tools.Doriana Mangili, the.....

Mexico: 3,000 hectares of plantains affected by Black Sigatoka
The disease known as Black Sigatoka affected 3,000 hectares of plantain plantations, causing the loss of 1,000 tonnes, which entails huge financial losses, according to the plantain producer from Ejido de San Bartolo, Roberto López Molina.The grower mentioned that plantains are currently being sold for 4,000.....

Production of cooking bananas threatened
From research by Carbap (African research centre for cooking bananas) it appears that Cameroon produces almost 2 million tons of cooking bananas annually. Of this, 60% is consumed in the country itself. The remaining 40% is exported to neighbouring countries Gabonand Guinea, where prices are of far greater.....

Taking measures against banana disease
Seven districts in Tanzania have taken measuresto try and control the banana disease Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW). This as announced by the Tanzania Daily News. Almost 90% of the banana trees in this region is said to be attacked by this bacteria. The banana production in Kageraamounts to almost 650,000 tons and.....

Campaign with smaller production volumes and lower prices
"Plátano de Canarias" could find a place in the British market
The current campaign for the brand "Plátano de Canarias" is marked by a slight fall in prices due to low consumption, as well as lower production volumes as a result of adverse weather conditions."The campaign is not developing as smoothly as last year, because average prices are lower and production so far.....

Research shows bananas cut stroke risk
Eating more bananas could prevent thousands of stroke deaths, say researchers.The potassium-rich fruit helps drive down blood pressure levels.A study found people with a high potassium intake had 24 per cent less risk of stroke.Previous data suggested older people could be harmed by potassium as their.....

Ecuador: Ecuafoods seeking European markets for its cassavas
Ecuafoods, a food products exporter based in Ecuador, is seeking to expand in the markets where its processed cassava and plantain products are already a success. The firm exports pre-fried cassavas and plantain chips to the United States and Central America, but they believe Europe can be a very good.....

Banana platina, new variety to be released in the Brazilian market next year
Derived from the banana prata, the fruit is the result of 10 years of research and promises to bring benefits to Brazilian producers.The company Ceagesp, the main fruit and vegetable warehouse in Brazil, presented the banana platina, a different variety of the banana prata. The fruit is the result of 10.....

Philippinnes: Armed men chop DOLE banana plants
Armed men believed to be NPA guerillas chopped down undetermined number of banana plants 8:00 p.m. Wednesday at Ortiz and Pagaran areas of DOLE STANFILCO, located at Brgy. Anahao Daan, Tago in Surigao del Sur.Surigao del Sur Police Provincial Office reported to the regional police headquarters here that the.....

Domincan Republic exports 300,000 tons bananas to EU
In 2012, the Dominican Republic exported about 300,000 tons of banana to the European Union nations, making it their main supplier, according to Ekaterina Krivonos from the Trading and Markets Division of the United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture (FAO).Last week, during the "Towards the.....

Hans Maagendans, Banafood Services GmbH:
Germany: "Banana prices lower than last year"
Banana sales were a little slow during the last few weeks, according to Hans Maagdendans of banana ripening company Banafood from Straelen. "The present pricefor yellow bananas is13-15 Euroon the free market,compared to last year prices which were 2 Euro lower. I find this worrying, because the months.....

Belgium: “There is no real banana trade anymore”
Belgian wholesaler Vanhuyse is part of the A. de Witte Group and offers a full range of fruit vegetables and exotics. The company is specialized in the ripening of bananas. In its own ripening farm, thousands of 18-kg boxes are ripening per week, all for a diverse clientele of supermarkets, wholesalers,.....

Kenya: New banana plant will help raise farm incomes
Banana farmers in Murang’a County now stand a better chance of maximizing returns after receiving a Sh10 million (US$ 116,509) plant from USAid-Kenya.They will now be able to add value as one of the immediate gains from the factory that will be based at Sabasaba in Murang’a South district. The plant is.....

Colombia: Banana growers looking for solutions to the crisis
The Banana Growers Association from Magdalena and La Guajira (Asbama) asked the National Government to create an agenda that would allow them to look for solutions to the crisis in this sector.The problems are attributed to the revaluation of the peso against the dollar, rising input prices of fertilizers.....

Dominican Republic exported 300,000 tonnes of bananas to Europe
In 2012, the Dominican Republic exported about 300,000 tonnes of banana to countries of the European Union, making it their main supplier. This is anestimate made by Ekaterina Krivonos from the Trading and Markets Division of the United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture (FAO).Last week, as she.....

India may get super banana
In a few years, India may have a genetically modified fruit on the table. Scientists from Australia have already transferred the technology to Indian researchers for producing a genetically-modified(GM) banana with enhanced amount of provitamin A and iron that could be specifically beneficial for pregnant.....

India: Banana output doubles but prices continue to rise
Tamil Nadu grows more bananas than any other state in India and, this year, has had a bumper crop. However, despite the high yield prices are still on the rise.The prices have been steadily increasing over the years, which is unusual as so has production, doubling in the last four years. The state produced.....

Bolivia: Focus on exports not affecting local banana markets
The president of the Association of Municipalities of the Tropic,Rimer Ágreda, informs us that 60% of the Tropic's banana production is intended for export and the remaining 40% goes to the local markets.The leader assured that despite the sector's focus on exports, local markets are not affected.During the.....

India: Banana production crosses 30 million tons
Banana production during 2012-2013 has reached 30.28 million tons, against 28.46 million tons last year. "In 2009-10 and 2010-11 the production of banana was 26.47 million tonnes and 29.78 million tonnes respectively," said Tariq Anwar, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries.Tamil.....