Fresh Del Monte Chief Sounds Alarm Over Disease Impact On Banana Supply

Banana plantation successful Tenerife. Credit: Mazur Travel/Shutterstock

The caput of consequence and rootlike awesome Fresh Del Monte has warned of a world banana shortage linked to diseases and ambiance change.

Chairman and CEO Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh said yesterday (30 July) that he had been predicting specified an “industry-wide” calamity for “years” arsenic he discussed second-quarter results pinch analysts. And nan “causes are clear”, he added.

Abu-Ghazaleh suggested nan causes are related to fungal diseases, namely Black Sigatoka and Fusarium, which is different known arsenic Tropical Race 4.

The fungus Pseudocercospora fijiensis causes Black Sigatoka, aliases nan alleged Black Leaf Streak Disease (BLSD) connected bananas and plantains, according to nan British Society for Plant Pathology.

Fusarium, meanwhile, is simply a soil-borne pathogen that attacks nan roots of nan banana causing nan Banana Fusarium Wilt illness by clogging its vascular system, according to nan Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of nan United Nations.

“Shifting ambiance patterns, peculiarly warmer temperatures mixed pinch humidity, are accelerating nan dispersed of illness successful cardinal increasing regions, chiefly Black Sigatoka,” Abu-Ghazaleh explained. “On apical of that, a continued dispersed of Fusarium, good known arsenic Tropical Race 4, is adding further pressure.”

He added: “These diseases are having a nonstop effect connected supply. Black Sigatoka is affecting crops crossed Central America, while different countries are facing nan compounded effect of some diseases.”

There were immoderate positives expressed by nan Fresh Del Monte chief, however, astir efforts being made to woody pinch nan diseases.

“As we person shared previously, our R&D teams person been moving to reside nan world threat posed by Fusarium Wilt, and we are pleased to study that section testing of TR4-resistant gene-edited banana lines is expected to statesman successful nan coming months, a meaningful measurement toward semipermanent class resilience.”

The FAO says connected its website: “TR4 is recognised arsenic 1 of nan astir fierce and destructive fungi successful nan history of agriculture and nan world’s top threat to banana production.

“The continued dispersed of TR4 would beryllium devastating for nan communities who trust connected bananas for their livelihoods, but besides sad for those who simply bask eating them. Bananas and plantains are captious to nutrient information and livelihoods of astir 400 cardinal people.”

Fresh Del Monte’s Abu-Ghazaleh shares immoderate of those thoughts, arsenic he said “global request for bananas remains beardown arsenic they proceed to beryllium 1 of nan astir affordable and accessible fruits successful nan market aisle”.

In different consequence areas, Abu-Ghazaleh said nan Florida-headquartered business had struck a caller milestone pinch a marketplace introduction to nan Middle East for pineapple nether Fresh Del Monte’s Pink Glow marque successful nan UAE.

“While still early successful scale, it reflects a strategical measurement successful expanding our high-value portfolio into caller world markets, wherever marque favoritism and semipermanent imaginable align,” Abu-Ghazaleh said to people nan development.

The group reported nett income for nan six months to 27 June of $2.28bn, a 1.3% summation from nan corresponding play successful 2024. For nan afloat year, income are expected to emergence 2%.

Within those numbers, caller and value-added products grew 2.9% to $1.41bn, while world banana income were fundamentally level astatine $773.7m.

Fresh Del Monte’s first-half operating profit climbed 0.9% to $113.2m. Net income was up 12.5% astatine $89.3m.

Meanwhile, nan CEO was asked connected a results follow-up telephone pinch analysts yesterday to supply immoderate penetration connected nan effect of Black Sigatoka connected nan banana harvest successful Costa Rica.

“Costa Rica unsocial is down complete 20% successful their export measurement this twelvemonth arsenic we speak. And that’s chiefly because of nan Sigatoka illness arsenic good arsenic different issues successful nan ungraded and nan climate,” Abu-Ghazaleh responded.

“I don’t spot that this is going away. This is getting worse arsenic a matter of fact.”