Going bananas!
Bananas at risk
It’s no wonder that this delicious fruit, and possibly first superfood ( 1 ), is the most popular of our time, but did you know its future could be at risk?
Most of the bananas sold across the Western world are the “Cavendish” variety, and because they are nearly genetically identical (aka clones), they are highly vulnerable to disease outbreaks.
Although Cavendish are immune to the fungus that severely affected the industry in the 1900s, it is highly susceptible to another couple of fungi called Black Sigatoka and TR4. If no measures are taken to protect bananas from these diseases, the yields could decline dramatically!
“special conditions must be met…only possible in a few places”
Peruvian advantage
The priviledged land
In order to prosper, bananas need a hot and humid climate, but fungi also thrive in areas like these, reason why it’s pretty complicated to grow bananas without pesticides in these regions. Special conditions must be met to produce organic bananas, less moisture and less rainfall are required, and this is possible only in a few places.
In Peru, there is a privileged strip of land, a desert with access to water and free of plagues, ideal conditions that can assure a continuous organic production.
PIURA, Peru
Longitude: O80°37'58.15"
Latitude: S5°11'40.16
( 1 ) In the early 20th century bananas were endorsed by the American Medical Association as a health food for children and considered a treatment for celiac disease.
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