ROME, ITALY: During the World Banana Forum held in Rome on Tuesday, senior economist Pascal Liu stressed the significant threat posed by climate change to the banana supply chain due to the rapid spread of diseases.
Bananas, recognized as one of the most beloved fruits globally, are facing potential price increases as a result of climate change, according to experts at the event.
Recent sea storms in the UK led to shortages of bananas in some shops last week, highlighting the vulnerabilities of the supply chain to extreme weather events.
With the UK importing approximately 5 billion bananas annually, comprising 90% of sales through supermarkets, disruptions in the supply chain have significant repercussions.
Despite their resilience to certain weather challenges, bananas are susceptible to the effects of global warming, particularly the spread of Fusarium Wilt TR4, a dangerous fungus that has migrated from Australia and Asia to Africa and is now advancing towards South America.
Once this fungus infiltrates a plantation, it can devastate entire banana crops, proving difficult to eradicate.
Banana producers are grappling with a range of challenges including rising fertilizer costs, energy expenses, transportation issues, and labor shortages.
Without a substantial increase in supply, Mr. Liu cautioned that banana prices are likely to remain high in the foreseeable future.
Consumers are increasingly seeking products grown sustainably, prompting producers to adopt greener practices and obtain authentic certifications to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability.
Regulations promoting sustainable production are viewed positively as they encourage producers to enhance the sustainability of their operations, as noted by Mr. Liu.
The World Banana Forum serves as a platform under the UN umbrella, convening various stakeholders from the industry, including retailers, producer countries, exporters, and research institutions, to address challenges and opportunities in the banana sector.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
