Trouble in bananaland

The common yellow banana sold in grocery stores is in danger.
11/4/2010

Unlike most processed foods (Tang, Franken Berry cereal), we tend to think natural foods like fruits and veggies have been around forever and will continue to be eaten by our great- grandkids. But even mother nature’s brands can have a shelf life. Take the simple yellow banana that we slice into our breakfast cereal every morning. It’s called the Cavendish banana. Although it’s one of about 1,000 banana varieties in the world, the Cavendish accounts for 95% of the international trade in bananas. Unfortunately, a fungus called Panama disease has infested the Cavendish and experts estimate we only have five to 10 years left with the yellow fruit we know and love.

The Cavendish was not always the world’s most popular banana. Until the Second World War, the only one available in North America was a variety called the Gros Michel. The Gros Michel was bigger, creamier and more nutritious than the Cavendish and its thick skin made it ideal for production and distribution. But Panama disease struck the Gros Michel almost as soon as it was introduced to the Americas. The search for a viable replacement began.

Now, bananas are practical for market because they are grown in monocultures. This means that all bananas of a single variety are genetically identical They ripen at the same rate, taste the same and, unfortunately, fall prey to the same disease.


The banana companies of the day knew all about the Cavendish. But they considered it so inferior that they resisted growing it until they themselves were on the brink of extinction. They finally adopted the Cavendish because it was immune to Panama disease.

Now, bananas are practical for market because they are grown in monocultures. This means that all bananas of a single variety are genetically identical They ripen at the same rate, taste the same and, unfortunately, fall prey to the same disease.

In the 1980s, the Cavendish banana was introduced to Asia. Several banana varieties already existed in Asia, living with many disease-causing pathogens to which they cyclically resisted and succumbed. Unfortunately, the Cavendish had no resistance to these pathogens and a virulent strain of Panama disease took hold.

Some experts argue that just as a monoculture will ensure an epidemic, the only way to ensure plant resistance is through crop diversification. In the case of the banana, the red banana is a variety that could share a portion of the market with the Cavendish. From a nutritional standpoint, the red banana is an excellent choice. It contains 15% to 20% of the recommended daily intake of beta carotene, vitamins B6 and C and fibre. Unlike the Cavendish, it doesn’t contain calcium, but it is high in magnesium, potassium and manganese. Plus, it’s easy to judge the nutritional value of red bananas. The brighter red its skin, the higher the value of beta carotene. And the firmer the banana, the higher the mineral content.

But will consumers switch to a red-coloured banana? That’s a question I put to Michael Mockler of Thrifty Foods on Vancouver Island. Thrifty has sold red bananas for over a decade. But Mockler is skeptical the variety can gain a mass following. After all, it could take a marketing miracle to convince consumers to eat a red banana.

Mockler makes another interesting point: if we lose the Cavendish and the “eat local” movement picks up steam, there will be one set of producers that might really benefit: Canadian apple growers.

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