Threatened bananas: Austria's favorite fruit in crisis mode!

Threatened bananas: Austria's favorite fruit in crisis mode!

Peru - On April 15, 2025, the world's day will be celebrated worldwide. Banana is the most popular fruit in Austria, with an average consumption of 16 kilograms per person and year, followed by apples and oranges. This fruity preference may seem gratifying, but banana production and the survival of the plant itself face enormous challenges.

According to a report by OTS , the Bananan production is significantly threatened worldwide by the mushroom tropical race 4 (TR4). This disease, which occurs in particular in monocultures, has already led to massive crop failures in the past. Chemical treatments have proven to be largely ineffective, which makes the search for more sustainable cultivation methods necessary. Agricultural technician Lisa-Maria Krasa von Global 2000 reports on her inspection of the organic plantations in Peru, where she also checked the cultivation methods for its effectiveness against the TR4.

Alternatives to combat diseases

The inspections contain document tests, leaf samples and conversations with the producers. Strict guidelines apply to organic bananas, and alternative control methods include tea tree and orange oil as well as the use of beetle traps. These methods are complex, but are more environmentally friendly compared to the use of pesticides from the air. Organic agriculture promotes healthy soil with the help of organic fertilizers and represents an important step against the monocultures, which are supported by the plantings of mango and lime trees.

The report of Welthungerhilfe emphasizes that around 135 million tons of bananas worldwide. This number also includes cooking bananas that represent a staple and an important source of income for over 400 million people. The TR4 disease remains an immediate threat to the nutritional security of this group. While genetic engineering methods in the development of resistant types of banana promise potential, there are concerns about the consumer acceptance of such products, especially in Europe.

The challenge of sustainability

The dessert banana makes up less than a third of the global banana harvest, while the remaining 70% cooking bananas that are also at risk. Historically, the Panama disease destroyed the “Gros Michel” variety in the 1960s, and its successor, the Cavendish banana, is now also faced with similar challenges. Farmers' farm emphasizes the progress of companies such as Chiquita that concentrate on sustainable cultivation methods.

The answer to the challenges that Bananen production faces could be in the harmonization of traditional agriculture with modern, sustainable practices. The path to healthy and stable banana production not only requires innovative thinking, but also the willingness of consumers to accept new products.