Chiquita Says Banana Fungus is No Cause for Alarm
Following recent reports of a new fungus variety spreading throughout banana plantations in Mozambique and Jordan, a spokesperson from Chiquita affirmed that there’s no cause for alarm.
“It’s certainly not an immediate threat to banana production in Latin America,” says Ed Lloyd, spokesman for Chiquita. “This is something that this industry has dealt with for decades.”
Known as Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.cubense (Foc), or the Panama Disease, the fungus attacks the Cavendish banana, which is the primary variety grown and marketed by Chiquita, Dole Foods, and other big fruit companies, according to the Charlotte Business Journal. This particular variety also accounts for almost all of the world’s commercial banana crop, including Chiquita’s.
While initial reports suggest that the disease could be slowly making its way to Latin America, Lloyd says that “it’s not a ‘sky is falling’ sort of situation.” The fungus is soil-borne, which usually requires taking infected soil from one place to another. Travel restrictions will help prevent the fungus from spreading to other continents.
As of now, Chiquita and other growers are examining other varieties of bananas that could replace the Cavendish, which originally replaced the Gros Michel variety after it had been wiped out in the 1960s by a different strain of the same virus. Banana prices are currently not affected by fear of the disease.
Fungus isn’t the only thing to be concerned about, however. Earlier last week, officials from the Agriculture and Livestock Ministry’s State Phytosanitary Services declared a national crop emergency for bananas in Costa Rica. According to ThinkProgress, a surge of insects resulting from climate change is harming banana production in Costa Rica. Although the insects do not damage the fruit itself, they do leave black stains which will not be accepted by exporters. Costa Rica is currently importing more plastic bags impregnated with the pesticides buprofezin and bifenthrin to protect banana bunches from the insects.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue our coverage on the Panama Disease and Costa Rica’s banana crop emergency.
