Why are all bananas the same variety?

[GingerFoxx]

The industry always concentrates on those varieties of various foods which produce best, have a long shelf life, and ship well. They're the most profitable.

This, and also I had heard it was something to do with making it easier to farm them. If all the bananas being grown are of the same variety, the workers only need to be taught how to raise/care for one variety, and the pesticides/methods they use are all chosen for that one variety. Horrible for biodiversity, but there you go.

 

[zirpkatze]

I've never heard of red bananas but my new life goal is to eat one.

 

[Second Summer]

Edible bananas may disappear within a decade if urgent action is not taken to develop new varieties resistant to blight.

A Belgian scientist leading research into the fruit loved by millions, and a staple for much of the world's poor, has warned that diseases and pests are steadily encroaching upon crops.

The problem is that the banana we eat is a seedless, sterile article which could slip the way of its predecessor which was wiped out by blight half a century ago.

Bananas could split for good (BBC News, 16 January 2003)

(The three foremost threats mentioned in the article are Panama disease and Black sigatoka which both are fungal diseases, and pests (presumably insects?) invading farms and plantations.)

Well, it's a decade later now, as the article was published in 2003. Bananas are still around, thankfully!

 

[Muggle]

This is related: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/mar/11/asda-canary-islands-bananas

I want to go to ASDA to get them....

 

[Marie]

Banana: The Fate of the Fruit that Changed the World, by Dan Koeppel, is an interesting (and quick) read about the history of banana cultivation. Idk if I'd recommend buying it but if your library has it, it's a good read.

I read that.

 

[RabbitLuvr]

The big hanging ones are "regular" bananas; the little ones underneath are manzano bananas. Found at my local grocery store.



I didn't know anything about them, and tried to eat two right after buying them. They were perfectly golden yellow, but when peeled they were very tannic and hard, almost woody. I googled them and I guess they have to be almost (or totally) black and yield to pressure before they're good to eat. So now I'm waiting.

Supposed to taste either like apples and strawberries, or like pineapples and strawberries. Idk, I guess I'll find out.

 

[thefadedone]

Supposed to taste either like apples and strawberries, or like pineapples and strawberries. Idk, I guess I'll find out.

Sounds like it will be worth the wait at least.

 

[Amy SF]

Does hanging the bananas on the hanging thingy keep them from getting too ripe too fast? If so, I should really get one of those hanging thingies for myself.

 

[Forster]

The industry always concentrates on those varieties of various foods which produce best, have a long shelf life, and ship well. They're the most profitable.

Exactly, it's the industrialization of our food. The decrease in species diversity available to us is staggering across the board.

 

[ledboots]

The big hanging ones are "regular" bananas; the little ones underneath are manzano bananas. Found at my local grocery store.

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I didn't know anything about them, and tried to eat two right after buying them. They were perfectly golden yellow, but when peeled they were very tannic and hard, almost woody. I googled them and I guess they have to be almost (or totally) black and yield to pressure before they're good to eat. So now I'm waiting.

Supposed to taste either like apples and strawberries, or like pineapples and strawberries. Idk, I guess I'll find out.

I had manzano bananas growing in my old yard. They are *really* good, but yes, wait till they are rotten looking before you eat them.