Bananas are the main fruit in international trade and the most popular one in the world. In terms of volume they are the first exported fruit, while they rank second after citrus fruit in terms of value. Banana is a very delicate commodity on economic, social, environmental and political grounds. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Statistics estimations, world total exports of banana accounted for 16,8 million tonnes in 2006. Bananas are also a very important staple commodity for many developing countries, together with wheat, rice or corn, hence the relevance of bananas for food security. Some of the main banana producing countries, such as India or Brazil, are hardly involved in international trade. In fact, only about one fifth of total banana production is internationally traded . Nevertheless, the share of banana trade in world banana production increased slightly in the last decades (from around 18% in the sixties and seventies to over 22% in the 1990s and 2000s). The international banana market shows a highly regional character.
via Banana.
Category: Bio-Diversity
Japan Bans Bananas: From the Annals of Government Stupidity – Forbes
Under the new rules, the limit for general foodstuffs such as fruit, vegetables, rice, seafood and meat is 100 becquerels of radiation per kilogram, down from 500 prior to April 1. The limit for milk, baby food and infant formula is 50 becquerels per kilogram. For drinking water and tea leaves, it is 10 becquerels per kilogram.
The ministry said local municipalities will be responsible for carrying out testing and that any item measuring above the set standard will not be permitted to be sold.
The problem is that bananas are naturally radioactive. One banana has perhaps 15 Bq, there are usually more than 6 or 7 bananas to a kilo of them and thus a kilo of bananas has more than 100 Bq. And as for Brazil nuts, these are actually so radioactive that if you take them into a nuclear installation you cannot take them out again. They’re too radioactive, go over the limits for what a nuclear installation is allowed to release into the environment. It is possible that this nuts story is apocryphal of course but I wouldn’t bet against it being true.
via Japan Bans Bananas: From the Annals of Government Stupidity – Forbes.
Agriculture: Going bananas | The Economist
Agriculture: Going bananas | The Economist.
Bananas and the numerous threats to continued existence.
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Panama Banana Blight Harmless to Humans (in one sense…)
Panama Banana Blight Harmless to Humans
(But really? Is it? Doesn’t it threaten the viability of a staple crop?)
Local administrations in Haikou have opened ports to facilitate banana business and avoid more losses, after news that “banana cancer” swept most parts of China. As the rumor of the “Panama Disease” outbreak in banana plantations gradually quiets down, the local government has decided to give a 300-yuan subsidy [USD 37.5] for each banana truckload in an attempt to boost fruit sales and reduce losses suffered by local banana planters. Continue reading Panama Banana Blight Harmless to Humans (in one sense…)