In the future you may need to come to Hawaii for your bananas rather than have them come to you. There could be serious issues ahead more slippery than a banana peel.
Nearly three years ago, we wrote about the global threat to the omnipresent Cavendish banana variety caused by BBTV. That virus is spread by aphids and results in a bunched and diminished fruit production.
Now, according to The New Yorker, Cavendish bananas are facing a far worse threat known as Tropical Race Four. This is a virulent strain of Panama Disease that is destroying the banana crops in Southeast Asia and Australia. It is expected to soon reach the heart of banana production, Central America.
Chinese originated Cavendish bananas represent 99% of the world’s banana exports, primarily because of their suitability for shipping. Unfortunately, there is no known defense against Tropical Race Four. Scientists in Australia and elsewhere are rapidly trying to develop a resistant strain of export-suitable bananas.
Many of Hawaii’s Bananas Immune to Panama Disease.
Hawaii produces a great variety of bananas, including many variants of the Cavendish, Bluefields and Brazillian types. The later two groups are likely immune to Panama disease. Those types generally do not ship as well and ripen as evenly as Cavendish.
Currently, banana production here is only a minuscule percentage of the world’s bananas. The state raised 20 million pounds in 2007 compared with the 7.9 billion pounds the U.S. imported, primarily from Guatemala and Costa Rica. If bananas become a premium product however, that could be set to change.
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It’s too bad that our wonderful Island bananas cannot be imported to the mainland. Our wonderful avocados aren’t allowed outo f the state either.