"Difficult weeks in banana market"

The banana market has been going through a very tough period. "It is too sad for words how low the banana prices have been." said Hans Maagendans from banana ripening company Banafood in Germany. "Normally speaking, the banana trade is at its best from January until the end of May, prices fall during the summer holidays and recover by the beginning of October. That recovery hasn't happened, and only now are prices beginning to climb."

"In recent weeks there have been large supplies arriving from importers and it was difficult to unload the bananas in the ports. The negativity has continued until this week. It now looks like fewer bananas are coming in from Latin America and the market can get a little air, but there are not yet the price levels we would wish. December is traditionally always a difficult month for the banana trade but we hope that at the end of the year we will have reached a higher price level than we presently do."

Hans blames the low consumer price for bananas on the supermarkets. "Dutch top fruit is offered at a higher price per kilo, than bananas from Latin America. Explain how that is possible! These are antics which do nobody any good and is a bad sign for the banana trade. Normally you would see these sorts of prices in the summer, but now the situation has switched to the end of the year."

For more information:
Hans Maagendans
Banafood Services GmbH
Carl-Kühne Straße 7
47638 Straelen
Tel: +49(0)2839 568910
[email protected]
www.banafood.eu