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Surinam bananas losing special status
Bananas from Surinam are slowly but surely losing their special status on the European market. New trade agreements and treatieswith Latin American competitors are putting on unstoppable pressure. The Surinam banana industry is really at crossroads. It is either creative living or inglorious perishing...... 0 comments

AU: Indigenous mayor wants government action over banana farm
The Mayor of Hope Vale in far north Queensland says he is getting frustrated by a lack of support from governments for a banana-growing farm.One of the world's largest fruit and vegetable producers - the Hawaiian-based Dole company - wants to establish a banana farm at the Hopevale indigenous..... 0 comments

US: Prison inmates find drugs in fruit donated by police
Inmates at a state prison discovered some illicit produce last week while unpacking a fruit crate in the facility’s kitchen, law enforcement officials said Tuesday.Prisoners working in the mess hall of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Segovia Unit found 25 pounds of marijuana nestled in a crate of..... 0 comments

The world’s 3rd largest banana exporter visits Dubai as a first step to entering the Middle East market.
Costa Rica bananas in Middle East for the first time
CORBANA, the National Association of Banana Producers of Costa Rica, is in Dubai for the first time to explore business opportunities in the Middle East on behalf of Costa Rican producers. Representatives from CORBANA will take part in the Eurofruit Congress Middle East, the leading fresh produce event in..... 0 comments

China: Owner of "king of bananas" rewarded at fair
A bunch of 130-cm bananas was recently termed the "king of bananas" at an agricultural fair in Zhaoqing, Guangdong province, last week. The bananas, which weigh 126.5 jin (63.25 kg), are the heaviest to have ever been witnessed in the southern metropolis, one of the major banana production bases in..... 0 comments

Philippines: Bishops ask banana growers to stop aerial spraying
Four members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) have challenged the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) to exercise corporate responsibility by stopping the aerial spraying of chemicals in banana plantations in Mindanao.In its letter addressed to PBGEA..... 0 comments

Costa Rica: A Budgens owner blasts banana war
The owner of two London Budgens supermarkets, Andrew Thornton, hopes to restore banana prices, and has started a campaign - Play Fair, Trade Fair. All profits from banana sales wil be donated to Banana Link which supports workers in Costa Rica. You can read more about this on Andrew Thornton, Budgens..... 0 comments

AU: Wrigley’s TV ad angers banana industry
A television commercial promoting Wrigley’s Extra chewing gum is at the centre of outrage from Australia’s banana industry because of the ad’s depiction of the fruit as causing tooth decay. Horticulture Australia has lodged a compliant with the Advertising Standards Bureau to either have the ad withdrawn or..... 0 comments

Before you go bananas, try wrapping them around.
India: Eat bananas, wear them too
A weaver in Tamil Nadu has come up with saris made from the fibre of banana stems, and a host of other natural products, apparently taking the cue from his counterparts in Bengal.Today, thanks to C. Sekhar’s inventive mind, women willing to try out something new can also wear a sari made of the succulent..... 0 comments

AU: Top banana needed to resolve food price rows
An ombudsman is needed to help resolve disputes between growers and buyers, horticulture industry experts said yesterday.The Federal Government will examine the suggestion after members of the industry's Horticulture Code of Conduct committee reviewed Australian Competition and Consumer Commission..... 0 comments

Angola bans Kenya banana imports to contain disease
Kenya’s bid for a larger share of the southern Africa fresh produce market took a fresh blow after the Angolan government banned banana imports from Kenya in a move aimed at curbing the spread of banana wilt disease in the region.Banana wilt— a bacterial disease which first got its way into the region..... 0 comments

UK: Local grocer in banana war on supermarkets
A two-store grocer in north London will today take a stand against the UK’s biggest supermarkets which are waging a price war on bananas that threatens to do lasting damage to plantation workers in developing countries.Andrew Thornton, who owns two Budgens in the capital, has vowed to give his profits on..... 0 comments

AU: Banana ClipSlip use skyrockets as positive results in
An innovative plastic product is being rapidly taken-up by banana growers in Australia and overseas as they see its ability to cut fruit wastage from 44 percent up to a staggering 80 percent when compared with traditionally grown bananas.Global banana consultant Marc Jackson said the major supermarket..... 0 comments

Angola: Ministry of Agriculture bans import of banana from central, east Africa
The Ministry of Agriculture has declared a ban on the import of vegetables and bananas from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and Kenya, according to a dispatch published on Tuesday in Luanda.This governmental department has also banned the entry of..... 0 comments

Spain: In Canary Islands plastic comes from bananas
Exploiting fibres extracted from banana plant waste to produce new green and sustainable plastic materials with enhanced physical properties compared with other natural-fibre composites containing flax, hemp, sisal or straw: this is the goal of the Badana project, launched by a few Spanish researchers.The..... 0 comments

Peruvian Network of banana producers will organize the second international congress of organic bananas
Pedro Quesada extends an invitation to the 2nd International Congress of Organic Bananas from the 9th to the 11th of December, with great expectations this meeting aims to bring together a large number of players in the banana industry to discuss new market trends, associability and technology. The congress..... 0 comments

Australia begins exporting bananas to Korea
Australia's first ever shipment of bananas to Korea is on the way.The world's largest fruit and vegetable grower, Dole Foods, of the United States, has sent the shipment, after recently establishing itself as a grower in Far North Queensland.Dole's Australian director Emmanuel Javellana says the company..... 0 comments

President Correa announced a state sponsored exporter of bananas in Ecuador
Ecuador will own a banana exporting company- the country is already the world's largest supplier. President Rafael Correa said ... This is to be done in order to stop the "abuses" of entrepreneurs in the sector. "The ultimate solution is to make the banana exporting sector a state run institution and we..... 0 comments

Saudi trade mission yields banana plantation project
A group of companies from Saudi Arabia will invest about $300 million for a large-scale banana plantation in Mindanao, an Agriculture official said yesterday.This was the result of a visit by Saudi businessmen in May for agribusiness investment and joint venture deals with local agricultural firms."For..... 0 comments

US: College greenhouse goes bananas
Visitors to the NCTA greenhouse are often surprised to find bananas growing in Nebraska, but, the biggest shock is actually seeing one of the plants in full bloom and producing bananas.Lance Stott, Horticulture Systems Division Chair at NCTA, says it is not a rare occurrence for bananas to bloom in..... 0 comments

UK: Fairtrade banana sales remain constant
Sales of Fairtrade bananas are holding up despite record low prices on conventional fruit, according to reports.Asda reported that volume sales of loose conventional bananas had risen ten per cent since it cut the price to 38p/kg last Friday.But despite the uplift, it insisted sales of Fairtrade remained..... 0 comments

Nepal: Banana sales, price up
Banana sales in Mithilanchal has gone significantly up ahead of the Chhath festival. Banana is an essential fruit, which is offered to God Sun during the worshipping in Chhath, reports RSS.While demand for banana has gone up, so is the price, according to farmers and traders. Bananas are sold in huge..... 0 comments

Dominica: Stakeholders in the banana industry sign Memorandum of Understanding
An initiative by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, led by the Minister for Agriculture, Hon. Matthew Walter, to avert a collapse of the banana industry in Dominica, has resulted in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Dominica Banana Producers Limited (DBPL) and the..... 0 comments

An Italian man who's hobby is banana cultivation is searching for new varieties
Gino Agosti, a former bank employee, is dedicating his retirement to a new activity: that of growing some exotic fruits in South Italy. "After having started with mango, litchee, longan and so on - Gino explains - I've acquired some banana trees from Sicily and I have discovered they are growing very well. Such a small success has made me more enthusiast than ever! So I would now like to test some other banana varieties in my field, especially those which are the most interesting at the moment. Could someone help me?". Please contact Gino Agosti via e-mail: agosti.g@libero.it

A question on banana importing from the Canary Islands
One of our Italian readers would like to know how much would it cost to import about 800-1000 kg of bananas from the Canary Islands. If anybody knows more about it, please let us know sending an e-mail to our Italian colleague Rossella: rossella@freshplaza.it

Rwanda: Growing bananas for food security
Bananas have had a great impact on people's lifestyles and livelihoods in the Eastern Province of Rwanda. They provide food security during long periods of drought and are a source of income for countless farmers.As a result, farmers in this region have embarked on growing banana plantations. Sectors and..... 0 comments

India: Fruits worth Rs 5 lakh destroyed at market
Fruits worth Rs 5 lakh were destroyed in a fire at fruit market at Kedareswara here on Saturday night.According to eyewitnesses, the fire broke out around 8.30 p.m. when a sparks from a cracker fell on one of the five rooms of a godown in which fruits were stocked.Soon, the flames engulfed the entire godown..... 0 comments

save money during the crisis
Polish your shoes with banana skins?
Bananas are not only tasty and healthy, but during hard times they can also have another function. The banana skin is apparently great for polishing shoes. By rubbing the inside of the skin over your shoes you get a nice glossy shine. The banana skin contains oil and potassium which also protects your shoes..... 0 comments

Panama's banana planting needs $50 mln to overcome crisis
Panama needs about 50 million U.S. dollars to recover its banana production, authorities said on Wednesday. Roberto Santamaria, director of the National Banana Department of the Panamanian Farming Development Ministry (Mida), told local daily "Panama America" that about 15 to 20 million dollars were..... 0 comments

UK: Bananas grown in 'cold' Southampton
An ornamental banana plant bought by grandmother Moira Taylor surprised her when it sprouted a bunch at her home in Southampton.Mrs Taylor, who is 73, bought the plant eight years ago simply thinking it would look nice but never expected any fruit to grow in the cold English climate.However, it has now borne..... 0 comments

Acting together against banana diseases in Africa
More than 70 million people in 15 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa depend on banana for their livelihood and food supply. Their food security is being threatened by the arrival and spread of two devastating banana diseases - Banana Bunchy Top Disease and Banana Xanthomonas Wilt. An international meeting was..... 0 comments

Kew Gardens has banked 10 per cent of the world's seeds with pink banana from China
Kew Gardens' Millennium Seed Bank has conserved 10 per cent of the world's wild plants by 'banking' its 24,200th species of seed - a pink banana from China.The wild forest banana, Musa itinerans, is an important food for wild Asian elephants and a relative to commercial species, which could provide a..... 0 comments

Philippines: Mindanao ships 75 tons of bananas to Luzon for typhoon victims
Members of the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association based in Mindanao shipped 75 tons of bananas as food relief for typhoon victims in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.PBGEA member Betty Francia said in a phone interview that 7,500 boxes of bananas (at 10 kilos per box) were shipped to Luzon in..... 0 comments

UK: Asda slips up on banana price war
A vicious supermarket price war has broken out over bananas, but the people who really foot the bill are the plantation workersBananas down to 38p per kilo in Asda, 35p per kilo in Tesco this week. A supermarket price war over a fruit with as much comic potential as the banana ought to be funny. Asda has..... 0 comments

UK supermarkets warned over banana price war
As growers in the developing world go out of business, fears are growing for the stability of some small economies dependent on the cropIt started as a skirmish between supermarkets, of interest only to those in the grocery trade. But Asda's decision to repeatedly slash the price of its bananas now threatens..... 0 comments

Mexico: Marijuana in bananas seized
First bricks of cocaine were found stashed in statues of the Virgin Mary, then in a frozen shark. Now, Mexican authorities have seized a load of 'over-ripe' bananas bearing 2.6 tonnes of marijuana.Mexico's defense ministry said on Wednesday the cargo was found hidden inside a truck by soldiers who caught a..... 0 comments

UK: Bristol pupil breaks banana-eating world record
Bristol sixth-former Jack Brophy has gone bananas – and broken a world record.Jack, 16, peeled and ate four bananas in a minute, watched by fellow post-16 students at Redland Green School.His feat was recorded on video and witnessed by staff so evidence could be sent to Guinness World Records, which will..... 0 comments

UK: Fury over Asda banana price cut
Supermarket giant Asda is slashing the price of its bananas yet again - to just SIX PENCE each.The chain will risk the fury of rivals and growers by dropping prices a further 17 per cent.A bunch of bananas will cost just 38p a kilo. Typically there are six loose bananas in every kilo.The move comes just days..... 0 comments

US: Turbana Launches New Identity
Turbana Corporation this fall is unveiling new corporate and brand identities. The change includes a new corporate logo and fruit label, both inspired by bananas, but abstract enough to be interpreted as any tropical fruit; a growth segment for Turbana.“It is a complete redesign, not an evolutionary change...... 0 comments

Sam's Club Fair Trade update
US: Sam's Club Members prove buying Fair Trade bananas gives everyone more
Fair Trade bananas go big at Sam's Club with expanded distribution, TransFair USA's CEO Paul Rice speaks to the successful global impact the Sam's Club Fair Trade Banana program has had for banana farmersIn October, 2007, Sam's Club became the first mass-market retailer and membership warehouse club in the..... 0 comments

Philippines: Priest shepherds small banana exporters in Davao del Norte
For a long time in the past, the farm-gate prices of Cavendish bananas in Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley were always at rock-bottom low. It seemed only the big landlords and multinational companies could produce, sell and profit from the exportable bananas.At that time, buying prices of Cavendish..... 0 comments

UK: Was it the deadliest spider in bananas?
A shocked Halifax dad thought he was going bananas when he came face to face with what he feared was a deadly spider in his bag of fruit.Gez White, of Hambleton Drive, Mixenden, was about to open the packaging of the bunch while unpacking his weekly shop when he spotted the creature hiding inside.After..... 0 comments

In Russia, bananas stay firm
The economic crisis in Russia has caused a sharp cutback in imports from South Africa, especially our biggest seller, fruit.But Russian fruit merchants say if Russians have more cash to put where their mouth is, fruit exports will recover. The biggest South African fruit exporter to Russia is Capespan, which..... 0 comments

EU: Plastics 'goes bananas' at Queen's University Belfast
Pioneering a new technique for the use of banana plants in the production of plastic productsResearchers at Queen's University Belfast are pioneering a new technique for the use of banana plants in the production of plastic products.The Polymer Processing Research Centre at Queen's is taking part in a €1..... 0 comments

UK: Scorpion hid in fruit
A Sainbury's worker was stung by a Scorpion that scuttled out of a bunch of bananas.The man, in his 40s, was lifting a box of fruit when the exotic predator attacked his stomach.He was rushed to hospital, but later discharged. Workers trapped the creature - which was found not to be poisonous - and a vet put..... 0 comments

Peru: banana exports grew by 23 percent
Peruvian exports of banana and its detivatives grew by 23% between January and August 2009 (compared with the same period a year before), amounting to more than US$ 36 million, according to Peru's Association of Exporters (ADEX).This partly due to in part to a major rise in shipments to the Netherlands,..... 0 comments

Australia: Banana box packs big shock for Ballan man
A Ballan mangot an unwelcome birthday present courtesy of a brown snake in a banana box yesterday.The man, who turned 31 yesterday, was unpacking a box of bananas at the Footscray market when he was bitten on the left hand by what was believed to be a brown snake.The snake was concealed in the box which had..... 0 comments

UK: Price war as Asda cuts banana cost
Asda has slashed the price of bananas to their lowest level in 14 years, angering some rivals who accuse the supermarket of a "pointless" price war.Asda said it was guaranteeing the price cuts will not be passed on to suppliers and urged other supermarkets, who have made their own cuts, to do the same.The..... 0 comments

Phillipines: Banana growers hail WHO stance on aerial spraying
THE Philipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) welcomed the recent move of the World Health Organization (WHO) which stopped the Philippine government from taking any action against aerial spraying pending the international body's review."Of course we welcome such move, and we hope that with..... 0 comments

Timorex Gold alternative in controlling Black Sigatoka
The commercial banana production requires an excessive amount of agrochemicals to control the plant pathogenic fungus Mycosphaerella fijiensis which is the cause of the Black Sigatoka disease.Black Sigatoka is considered the most damaging and costly disease of banana and plantain. The control of this disease..... 0 comments

Jamaican banana firm works to rebrand itself
Wafer-thin chips sizzle in two oversized steel fryers in a factory where two masked workers steadily add barbecue and other secret Jamaican seasonings to the finished batch.On the other side of the glass wall, a bagging machine pops out bright yellow and burgundy bags filled with St. Mary's Barbeque Banana..... 0 comments

UK: Banana plants turn to plastic
Queen's University researchers in Belfast are turning banana plants into plastic as part of a pioneering study.The 1m euro (£917,000) work is known as the Bandana project and could increase the profitability for plantation owners and boost job security for workers.At the moment once the fruit has been..... 0 comments

India: Palani Hills may lose unique banana varieties to virus
The condition, known as “bunchy top”, results in the stunting of leaves, preventing the plant from fruitingThe delicately flavoured bananas grown in the Palani Hills in Tamil Nadu, traditionally used to make the panchamrutham offered at the renowned Subramanya temple, may be wiped out by a viral disease that..... 0 comments

Philippines: Jeddah business group eyes RP products
The members of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) have expressed interest to invest in the Philippines, particularly in rice and coffee production and in banana trading.The JCCI members made their intention to President Arroyo when she received the JCCI delegation at the Jeddah Conference..... 0 comments

Banana production project in Angola with US company Chiquita suspended by Escom
Escom, a subsidiary of Portugal's Espirito Santo Group (GES), has announced the temporary suspension of the banana production project in Angola that it had in partnership with US multinational Chiquita Brands International.Hélder Bataglia, chairman of the board of Escom said that his company’s exit from the..... 0 comments

India: Gujarat researchers find new uses for banana plant waste
Gujarat, India-based Navsari Agricultural University said it has been successful in converting parts of a banana that are typically tossed in the garbage into useful products, including edible candy, according to the Press Trust of India today.Researchers have developed the candy using the central core of..... 0 comments

Factory set to boost Kenya banana farmers
A youth group in Kisii is kissing goodbye to poverty through processing banana produce. The group, for example, buys a full banana bunch at Sh300 and processes it into crisps which fetch Sh1,680.The group still manufactures other products from bananas. These include banana flour for making bread, cakes and..... 0 comments

Diseases threaten banana crops in Africa
Two separate diseases are destroying banana and plantain crops in Africa. They could threaten food security for millions of Africans who depend on bananas as an important part of their diet.Banana bacterial wilt was first reported in Ethiopia in the late nineteen sixties. In two thousand one it was found in..... 0 comments

Rebels attack banana farm in S Philippines
The leftist New People's Army rebels have attacked a banana plantation of Dole Philippines, a leading producer and marketer of high-quality fruits, in Tago townin Surigao del Sur and burned two pieces of heavy equipment, Philippine military said on Sunday.Maj. Michele Anayron, spokesman of the Philippine..... 0 comments

Indonesia: Low-income residents turn to subsistence banana farms
Located alongside the freeway from Grogol in West Jakarta to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, the 1.5-hectare plot of idle land in Pejagalan subdistrict, Penjaringan, is currently home to 100 families.All of them work in the informal sector, as street vendors, trash pickers or..... 0 comments

Banana growers say Philippine expansion won't threaten Australia
Banana growers don't think the increase of Philippine plantations will mean more direct competition for Australian growers.The Philippine government had restricted the plantation of export bananas to 26,000 hectares, but that's since been lifted.Tony Heidrich from the Australian Banana Growers Council says..... 0 comments

Philippines: Dutch plot vs RP bananas?
If there is any country in Asia that could replicate the Philippines’ success in the production and exportation of Cavendish bananas, that country would be no other than Indonesia. It was only recently that Indonesia was made to realize by certain Dutch interests that some of its islands have the same unique..... 0 comments

AU: Burke defends process for Filipino banana imports
Agriculture Minister Tony Burke has defended the Federal Government's involvement in the decision to allow Filipino bananas into the country.Mr Burke says it was the National Party, and Warren Truss as the then Agriculture Minister, that initiated the process in 2000."They decided to start it, we're now in a..... 0 comments

India: Stealing bananas to recharge cell phones? It's done in Bihar
Need money to recharge your mobile phone and don't have any? Just steal a bunch of bananas and sell it to buy a recharge coupon - that is what poor youths in Bihar's Raghopur area are doing to keep their mobiles ringing.With some cellular companies providing free SIM cards along with cell phones, many poor..... 0 comments

Bangladesh: Artificially ripened bananas flooded Rajshahi market
Bananas ripened by heat in small rooms after being sprayed with toxic chemicals are being sold rampantly all over the district, posing a serious health risk to the consumers.Sources said fruit traders, store green bananas in a small room and keep those under the heat of the burning kerosene stoves after..... 0 comments

Philippines: Banana group complied with standards set by EMB
Contrary to allegations raised by some farmers, the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) yesterday said it has complied with the order of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).A copy of the August 14 order signed by Environment Secretary JoseAtienza directed the EMB director to: 1.)..... 0 comments

AU: Northern bananas back in top form
Near perfect banana growing conditions in North Queensland are making life a lot happier for the region's growers.Northern growers had been struggling with fruit quality problems caused by floods earlier this year. But conditions have improved considerably and prices paid to growers have been good in recent..... 0 comments

East Africa: Banana wilt needs urgent attention
The banana wilt disease is currently posing a threat to food security in East Africa.The disease has been reported in 46 districts in Uganda and 40% of the plantations in the country have already reported occurrences.The disease has also been reported in other East African countries such as Rwanda, western..... 0 comments

Austria: Bananas turn bright blue under ultra-violet light helping animals pick ripe ones
Bananas turn from yellow to bright blue under ultra-violet light helping animals decide which ones are ripe enough to eat.The fluorescent colouring is caused by the breakdown of chlorophyll - the green pigment in plants vital for obtaining energy from light - and provides a tool to identify dying and rotten..... 0 comments

Australia: MP moves motion opposing Filipino banana imports
The fight to keep imported Filipino bananas out of the country continued in Federal Parliament this week.The Nationals Member for Cowper, Luke Hartsuyker, moved a private member's motion condemning the Rudd Government's decision to allow the importation.He says he's concerned about the possible disease..... 0 comments

AU: Bananas pick of the bunch
Near perfect banana growing conditions in North Queensland have helped improve the quality of fruit reaching the markets.Northern growers had been struggling with fruit quality problems brought about by floods earlier this year.Prices paid to growers have been good in recent weeks, and Sydney banana..... 0 comments

Japan goes gaga over banana diet, RP gets the profit
The morning banana diet, which turned Japanese women bananas in 2008, has boosted the banana export of the Philippines to Japan not only throughout that year but up to 2009 because the fad diet that is expected to fade away within a short time proves to be long lasting.It turns out that MBD has now come to..... 0 comments

Korea: Banana trees on Euljiro beat apples that just can’t blush
Korea is heating up at a rate that is two times faster than the global average.According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the global temperature rose by an average of just 0.74 degrees Celsius between 1912 and 2008 while that of Korea increased by 1.7 degrees in the same period. The rainstorms..... 0 comments

UK: Soil Association are shocked at Government support of pesticide
The UK Government is considering reinstating a pesticide, aminopyralid, which has caused huge amounts of damage to fruit and vegetable crops, and which was withdrawn from the market last year.Patrick Holden, Director of the Soil Association, has written to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and..... 0 comments

Ireland: No slips for banana firm
Tropical fruits firm Fyffes has raised annual profit forecasts for the second time in three months, despite a 20% hike in costs during the first half of 2009.The Dublin-based distributor and world-famous banana brand overcame increased fruit costs and currency headwinds through higher selling prices in..... 0 comments

Mozambique’s Manica province expects to export 700 tonnes of bananas to Europe
Mozambique’s Manica province may export this year, around 700 tonnes of bananas to Europe, according to the office fo provincial governor Maurício Vieira.With the introduction of new cropping techniques, which consist of production based on homogenous crops, which was introduced last year, banana production..... 0 comments

Philippines wants Australian banana import rules eased
The Philippines Government says it is waiting for Australia's response to a petition from Manila to reconsider strict import requirements on bananas.Bureau of Plant Industry director Joel Rudinas says Australia's import risk assessment on Philippines banana exports would put local exporters at a great..... 0 comments

India: Soaring banana prices mar Onam spirit
High prices of bananas are compelling consumers in Kerala to skip the fruit for Onam. Bananas have a pride of place during Onam as it is used in curries, as dessert or in chips.Heavy rains that lashed Kerala last month and lower arrivals from neighbouring Tamil Nadu have pushed up the banana prices. The..... 0 comments

International research network on bananas names CORBANA’s chief scientist its president for the next two years.
Corbana's Research Director becomes President of Musalac
The current Research Director of the Costa Rican banana producers’ association (CORBANA), Dr. Jorge Sandoval Fernández, has recently been appointed President of MUSALAC, the Plantain and Banana Research and Development Network for Latin America and the Caribbean. The appointment ceremony took place in..... 0 comments

Australia: Banana growers on alert for bunchy top
The northern New South Wales region's backyard banana growers are being urged to have their trees inspected for bunchy top disease.A new campaign has begun to eradicate the disease which is currently confined to the far north coast and parts of south-east Queensland.Program coordinator David Peasley says all..... 0 comments

India: Banana boost to Boko youths’ income
At a time when the lure of easy money and gun culture has led a section of the State’s young generation astray, Bipul Bodo, Krishna Bodo and their peers here, all in their early 20s, have shown exemplary determination and maturity by concentrating their efforts on increasing the produce of vast expanses of..... 0 comments

Uganda bans food exports after drought
Uganda has banned the export of bananas, corn and cereals to regional markets in a bid to ease the worsening food shortage in the country caused by a long drought early this year, officials said Monday.The ban mainly affects food exports to southern Sudan, eastern Congo and Kenya and is a short-term measure..... 0 comments

Philippines: Banana exports to US seen by next year
Local banana producers will likely be able to export fresh bananas to the United States starting next year, an Agriculture official said yesterday."I am optimistic that the process in exporting [bananas] would be fast because the banana industry is organized," Joel S. Rudinas, director of the Bureau of Plant..... 0 comments

Diseases threaten to wipe out bananas in sub-Saharan Africa
Fast spreading new banana diseases are threatening food production and the lives of millions of people.The bacterial wilt banana disease in Uganda has crossed eastwards as the banana bunchy top disease spread through Malawi into Southern and Central Africa.The banana bunchy top viral disease, one of the..... 0 comments

Store builds world’s largest banana display
Macey’s market in Providence, Utah is top banana
Macey’s Grocery Store at 931 S. Main St., Providence, UT, successfully completed a DOLE Banana display which ranks them the top banana in the produce industry, recapturing the title of “World’s Largest Banana Display.”For nearly two decades, many supermarkets throughout North America have attempted to take..... 0 comments

Prices of the fruit soar in Mangalore market
India: Banana no more a poor man’s fruit
Banana, the poor person’s fruit, has become out of reach to the common man. The retail price of the fruit between Rs. 39 and Rs. 48 a kg in the market here in the past one week.Though consumers are paying a “heavy price” for banana, its growers (farmers) are getting a raw deal. Prices of different varieties..... 0 comments

Banana diseases threaten crops in sub-Saharan Africa, UN says
The spread of two diseases affecting banana crops is threatening food security in sub-Saharan Africa, according to plant health scientists meeting in Arusha, Tanzania.The bunchy top viral disease, which results in all the plant’s leaves sprouting from the top of the plant and stunts growth, has been found in..... 0 comments

Guam: UOG & GDA to make banana plants available to local farmers
Guam Department of Agriculture and the University of Guam are partnering to make clean planting stock available to farmers for local banana production.Growers and farmers have been calling Dr. George C. Wall, UOG plant pathologist, to find out how to obtain disease-free banana for planting. To satisfy this..... 0 comments

UK: Biggest-ever delivery of bananas to port
August saw the biggest delivery ever of Britain's favourite fruit to Portsmouth Port.Council-owned shipping company MMD received the biggest shipment of bananas yet to come through the city in a single week, amounting to around 15,000 pallets.Each pallet weighs around one tonne, or roughly 157 stone.The..... 0 comments

India: Pune emerges major hub for banana exports
Maharashtra, the country’s top banana producer, has begun exports of the fruit from an export facility at Indapur, 140 km southeastof Pune.The Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB) has established three banana export facility centres at Savada in Jalgon, Vasamat in Hingoli and Indapur in..... 0 comments

Philippines: Experts can't agree on aerial-spray ills
Fruit growers in Mindanao are going bananas. They need to repel the spread of unseen but disastrous fungi if they are to go on exporting banana by the billions of tons. But a drive to ban aerial spraying of pesticides is hemming them in from the other side. The Philippine Banana Growers and Exporters..... 0 comments

US: Tropical Black Thai banana grows fast, easy to share
The Black Thai banana was one of the most sought-after bananas at the early spring Mississippi Garden and Patio Shows.My friend, Barbara Harvey in Kosciusko, did not miss out on the opportunity to brighten up her landscape with this banana.Harvey says her Black Thai seems to grow a foot a day. I was shocked..... 0 comments

EU fight against cartels saves conumer 60 billion
The tough approach to unlawful price fixing between companies has saved the European consumer 60 billion in the last three years. The European Commission is very happy with the results of it's fight against the forming of cartels by companies. This is according to the 2008 report from the EU-Commission on..... 0 comments

Ecuador: ProBanano 2009
Machala will be host to the second ProBanano 2009 Fair for suppliers of the Ecuadorian banana sector.On the 24th, 25th and 26th of September the second PROBANANO 2009 fair will be held at the Hotel Oro Verde in the city of Machala. Once again the ProBanano Fair will be the meeting point for major..... 0 comments

Uganda: Farmers advised to grow red bananas
Doing farming as business can help eradicate poverty in Uganda, " said Hajji Abby Bumba, husband to the Minister of Finance, Syda Bumba while speaking at the launch of the campaign to rejuvenate banana growing in Buganda region recently.He appealed to all Ugandans to invest in growing gonja ( red banana),..... 0 comments

Philippines: Davao lumad see promise in bananas
Indigenous people (IP) here are now enjoying their decision to grow lakatan bananas for an increasing local market.Their barangay’s high elevation is a plus factor as bananas grown in these areas are observed to be sweeter and bigger than those in the lowland. “Traders from Davao City and General Santos City..... 0 comments

Dominican Republic: With US$48.4M, bananas lead nontraditional exports
Organic bananas have become, next to cacao and coffee, the flagship of the nontraditional product exports, and has posted a record crop this year, according to Dominican Republic Export and Investment Center (CEI-RD), and Agriculture Ministry figures.Banana exports rose by US$14.1 million in the first..... 0 comments

Africa's next big export-bananas?
Under the cover of Hillary Clinton’s recent Africa sojourn where she stressed investment in agriculture, banana barons Dole Food and Chiquita Brands International strengthened their hands in Angola and Mozambique while oil giant Chevron reported “significant” new oil and gas discoveries by their Angolan..... 0 comments

Philippines: ‘Saluyot’ joins pineapple, banana as fiber source
From delectable food to haute couture, saluyot, like pineapple and banana, can be a source of natural fiber for chic apparels.Researchers have recognized the importance of banana leaf sheaths and pineapple leaves in producing cloth of exportable quality.Now comes saluyot stems.The Philippine Textile Research..... 0 comments

Philippines: Banana exports seen growing by 15% in 2009
Banana exports will likely grow by 15 percent to $828 million this year given the sustained market acceptance overseas, according to the Philipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA).PBGEA spokesperson Anthony B. Sasin said the 15-percent growth would bring the volume of banana exports this year..... 0 comments

Mozambican bananas to be shipped from Nacala port
Some 50 containers of bananas will be exported weekly from the northern port of Nacala from December, says the CEO of the Northern Development Corridor (CDN), Fernando Couto.Cited by daily newspaper Noticias, Couto said the drive to export bananas is the result of a project that has seen more than 1.5..... 0 comments

UK: Failed banana case cost £20,000
Prosecutors say they were justified in spending an estimated £20,000 on the crown court trial of a man who was acquitted of stealing a 25p banana.James Gallagher allegedly stole the fruit from an Italian restaurant in Birmingham's Bullring Shopping Centre.He chose to be tried by a jury and was cleared this..... 0 comments

Australian grower breaks 96 bananas in a minute
The Australian banana grower Graham Celledoni has set a new record. During an event in Queensland he broke 96 bananas in 60 seconds. The grower is now in the Guinness Book of Records. 0 comments

Philippines: RP gets provisional approval to export fresh bananas to US mainland
Washington D.C. has given Manila preliminary approval to export fresh banana pending measures for Manila to address the quarantine of banana pests, the Philippines’ Agriculture department said in a press release on Friday."The [United States’ Department of Agriculture, or USDA] move brings us one step closer..... 0 comments

Philipinnes: RP selling bananas to the US
The Philippine government is looking forward to selling more bananas to the United States soon and augment its export paycheck by $6 million a year.President Arroyo said her administration is working on gaining a wider access for Philippine bananas into the US market after US agriculture authorities pledged..... 0 comments

Poor banana producers need targeted aid -trade study
Aid to help banana producers in poor countries improve yields and efficiency could benefit them more than improved access to export markets, according to a new study of trade in the fruit.And both exporters in relatively more efficient Latin American countries and those in poor former European colonies in..... 0 comments

Philippines: Arroyo lifts limit on banana-plantation hectarage
Banana growers said big plantations could easily expand to 10,000 more hectares within the next 12 months following President Arroyo’s executive order (EO) lifting the restriction on the total hectarage the industry could cover.But the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) said it wants..... 0 comments

Philipinnes: Banana exporter to expand operations
A MINDANAO-based banana producer is aiming to expand operations this year to cater to the increasing demand for the high-value crop abroad, the company chief said."As we generate more cash, we can have additional planting," Senen C. Bacani, president and chairman of La Frutera, Inc., said in an interview.The..... 0 comments

Jamaica: Small banana farmers to benefit under new policy
The Government is putting the final touches on a new banana policy, which will enable small farmers to secure a greater share of the local market.Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, speaking at a press conference at his Hope Garden's office in Kingston today (July 21), said..... 0 comments

Philipines: Planters raise spray ban case to President
Officials of the Philipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) have met with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during her visit here on Friday to discuss the plight of the banana industry, including pressing issues such as the aerial spraying ban.A source privy to the closed-door meeting said..... 0 comments

AU: Innisfail goes bananas for record
Fine weather and a world record attempt were the order of the day for Innisfail's 95th annual show day this year.Grahame Celledoni snapped 96 bananas in a single minute for a Guinness Book of World Records attempt.The record, yet to be officially awarded, bettered the old record (held overseas) by two..... 0 comments

Thieves make off with three tonnes of banana booty in Belgium
A 43 year old lorry driver looked a bit puzzled last week when at around 6.30am he arrived at his lorry in Hoboken, Belgium.The trailer of his truck had been broken into and 162 boxes of bananas were missing. In each box was on average 18kg of fruit, meaning that the thieves made off with around three tonnes..... 0 comments

AU: Banana robots have appeal for farmers
In a small shed in Far North Queensland, robots have been developed which can replace humans in a banana packing shed.The robots take single bananas, scan them for quality and pack the good ones into a punnet ready for transporting to market.They were invented by Frank and Dianne Sciacca from..... 0 comments

Nigeria: Banana farms in Abuja's central district
The fertile soil of Abuja, coupled with favourable weather conditions, has encouraged the growth of a variety of plants both during the wet and dry season. Both the weather and soil are banana friendly, and a handful of farmers have chosen mixed cropping in which they grow banana ,permanently interlocked..... 0 comments

Philippines: Banana growers cites PGMA's lifting of banana hectarage limit
The Philippine Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) of Davao City has expressed their gratitude to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for expanding the number of hectares dedicated to banana plantations.PBGEA president Steve Antig said they are thanking the issuance of Executive Order No. 807..... 0 comments

Ecuador calls off banana negotiations with EU
Ecuador has called off banana trade talks with the European Union that also included Colombia and Peru, saying World Trade Organization (WTO) rulings in Quito's favor were not being respected."Ecuador has made this decision until the dispute over the banana trade is settled, and our concerns are adequately..... 0 comments

India's banana exports up by 89% in April-January
Following the rising demand for Indian bananas in European and Middle East market, the banana exports have registered a growth of 89% in April-January 2008-09 fiscal. According to the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), the country's banana exports have shot up by..... 0 comments

Overseas demand for Indian bananas rising
Surge in banana exports by 89 per cent during April-January 2008-09 fiscal suggest that the appetite for Indian bananas in the European and the Middle Eastern countries has increased.The country's banana exports have shot up by 89 per cent to 25,013 tonnes during April-January period of 2008-09 fiscal,..... 0 comments