Bananas are the most popular fruit in the world, with more than 100 billion consumed annually. They are a healthy source of vitamins, minerals and fibre and are popular with young and old.
A recent study carried out by a university in the US demonstrated that bananas showed an advantage over sports drinks for people who exercised. The test compared test subjects’ blood levels before and after exercise with one group eating bananas during and after their workout and the other drinking popular sports drinks. The studies showed that both groups enjoyed similar affects, but the banana-eating subjects had a greater shift in dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that affects mood and body movement. Low dopamine levels are also linked to issues related to obesity.
Bananas are also high in potassium, which helps our bodies maintain healthy blood pressure levels and maintain our muscles. They are also natural diuretics and help to reduce the effects of bloating. And, bananas are high in Vitamin B6, which helps us maintain healthy blood sugar levels and healthy digestion.
Bananas are also though a problematic fruit – precisely because of their popularity. Global demand leads to monoculture cultivation which can destroy entire ecosystems. They are grown on huge plantations owned and operated by large multinational corporations that also manage the fruit’s preparation for the consumers as well as its distribution. The process of conventionally produced bananas is environmentally destructive. Massive use of chemicals of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and synthetic fertilisers are required to maintain a banana monoculture. These are usually applied by aerial application or crop dusting—spraying agrochemicals from an aircraft. It is estimated that only 15% of these agrochemicals actually land on the crop, while the other 85% lands on the workers, their homes, and their food. This has devastating consequences for the soil, groundwater, and biodiversity, and the health of the workers on the plantations, who are very often exposed to these highly toxic chemicals without protection.
Demeter Bananas
Demeter bananas are different from all other bananas on the market, because they stand for more than “organic” can offer. They are grown according to the highest organic standards. They are not optimised to maximise profits and are grown without artificial pesticides and pollutants. Furthermore, they are the product of the values of Demeter producers who think and act with love, strength, joy and freedom. Demeter biodynamic farming practises a holistic, regenerative and sustainable agriculture.
Biodiversity at Demeter Farms
Fostering biodiversity in and above the soil is key for biodynamic farmers. You will find a whole universe of plants, microorganisms, insects, birds and other beings on Demeter banana farms. The pictures below compare a biodynamic banana plantation to a photo from conventional farming, where nothing but the banana plants are growing. Everything else has been removed by herbicides.
A biodynamic banana plantation where biodiversity is integral
A conventional banana plantation where nothing but the banana plants are growing. Everything else has been removed by herbicides
The more farmers allow other plants to grow underneath the bananas the more diversity you find in the soil as well as in the air and among the plants.
On our biodynamic banana plantation we also grow high-value complementary crops such as coconuts, cocoa, legumes, papaya, soursop and cover soil plants. I also introduced bees and happy chicken to our plantation, along with several flowering plants. This helps me improve the health of my farming system and increase biodiversity and soil fertility. I produce wholesome fruits with the help of compost, bioferments, plant extracts and natural microorganisms instead of chemicals such as pesticides or fertilizers.
Rámon Medrano, Banelino Banana Farm, Dominican Republic
Plastic-Free Banana Farming
Did you know that regular banana farming uses a lot of plastic material? It needs plastic bags for the bunch, the bunch separator and nylon threads. This results in huge amounts of plastic waste. Some Demeter farms are successfully experimenting with paper material, such as the Dominique Farms “Granja” and “Campo Alegre” in Santa Marta in Colombia. Here, plastic free farming reduces 703,68kg of plastic waste per hectare per year: this includes the plastic bags for the bunch, the bunch separator and the nylon thread, while plastic free packaging reduces 120,4 kg of plastic waste per hectare per year. Additionally, the farm absorbs CO2 and thereby reduces the net carbon footprint.
Comparison of Conventional Banana Growing versus Organic versus Biodynamic
Biodiversity
Conventional: Due to the heavy use of pesticides and fertilisers, conventional banana plantations have major negative impacts on flora, fauna and adjacent ecosystems, especially water bodies.
Organic (under EU Regulations) & Demeter:
These negative impacts on flora and fauna do not occur because no pesticides or synthetic fertilisers are used.
Organic (under EU Regulations): The EU regulations refers to the preservation of biodiversity as one of the most important goals of organic farming, but refrains from defining concrete measures. As a result, organic banana plantations are also mostly monocultures.
Demeter: Demeter farms must dedicate at least 10% of their land to biodiversity measures (such as hedges, tree patches and grass margin strips). These measures reduce the area available for bananas.
Crop Protection Products - Insects
Conventional: Regular spraying with insecticides. The plastic bags that protect the bananas on the plant are impregnated with insecticides.
Organic (under EU Regulations) & Demeter: Spraying with synthetic insecticides are prohibited. Very few inputs are allowed (microorganisms, vegetable oils, neem, pyrethrum, quassia, soaps).
Organic under EU Regulations: Spinosad permitted without restriction • Paraffinic oils permitted without restriction • Plastic bags without impregnation permitted without restriction •
Demeter: Since Spinosad also kills beneficial insects, its use requires an exemption • Paraffinic oils only if vegetable oils are not available. • Plastic bags without impregnation permitted without restriction. Some Demeter farms are experimenting with paper bags instead of plastic bags to reduce waste.
Crop Protection Products - Fungal Diseases
Conventional: Depending on the region, from 5 to 60 sprays of fungicides from aircraft, usually with a combination of up to 8 fungicides per application.
Organic (under EU Regulations) & Demeter: Fewer sprays. Very few substances are allowed. This general principle of organic farming unfortunately only works to a limited extent when it comes to some very aggressive fungal diseases in banana cultivation. This is one of the reasons yields are usually lower.
Organic (under EU Regulations): Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) permitted • Paraffinic oils permitted • Copper preparations (no quantity limits) permitted
Demeter: H2O2 is not permitted, as it also kills beneficial microorganisms. • Paraffinic oils only if vegetable oils are not available. • Maximum 3 kg of copper per hectare per year. Demeter banana farmers in regions with heavy rainfall, and high rates of fungal infection, are experimenting with wider planting spacings to speed up leaf drying after rainfall.
Did you know?
- The flower of the banana plant is an incredibly beautiful elongated blue-purple flower, often called the bell. As it grows, little bananas appear above it until the entire bunch has emerged. A bunch is made up of a number of tiers of bananas, which are called hands. A hand consists of up to 20 bananas, which are called fingers. When the bunch of bananas has fully emerged, the bell is removed to direct all the energy to the fruit.
- Banana plants are often mistaken for trees or palms – they are actually herbs.
- Bananas do not grow from a seed but from a bulb or rhizome, and it takes 9 to 12 months from sowing a banana bulb to harvesting the fruit. The banana flower appears in the sixth or seventh month.
- Bananas are available all year round.
- Some horticulturists believe that bananas were the first fruit on earth. Their origin is placed in Southeast Asia, in the jungles of Malaysis. Indonesia or the Philippines.
- Bananas are grown in more than 150 countries, and 105 million tonnes of fruit are produced each year. Bananas which are grown for local consumption are generally grown in traditional, extensive systems.
MOGLi and Holle both include Demeter bananas in their very popular and delicious pouches.
https://demeter.net/demeter-products/bananas/
https://foodispower.org/our-food-choices/bananas/#:~:text=Bananas%20also%20account%20for%20a,drainage%2C%20vastly%20increasing%20soil%20erosion.
https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/banana-cultivation-pesticide-intensive
https://www.bananalink.org.uk/all-about-bananas/
https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/farmers-and-workers/bananas/about-bananas/