In 1987 the NSW Government introduced the Banana Industry Act establishing the Committee and setting out its role and powers (see list of link sites for this Act). Since the early 1930s the Banana Growers’ Federation, a NSW Co-operative, was responsible for administration of the industry in this State.

BGF handled all matters relating to growers including marketing, advertising and promotion, research & development, representation, pest and disease control and policy development. Industry levies to cover the cost of these activities were voluntary and there was a fair degree of non payment.

 

Many in the industry viewed this as unfair and felt that every grower should contribute to the provision of these services. The current Act, reviewed in 2000, sets out compulsory charges for industry services provided by BananasNSW based on hectares grown. 

 

BananasNSW is the registered business name of the Banana Industry Committee of New South Wales (BIC). The Committee members decided to ‘update’ the organisation’s image in 2002 after 15 years of operation as the BIC.

 

They voted to go with the ‘frog logo’ with the banana leaf sails of the Sydney Opera House, the banana version of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the famous NSW blue of the harbour itself and the State’s football colours.

 

Our operating motto “Naturally Growing” is both a statement and a goal. Bananas grown in NSW are grown in the most environmentally sustainable manner possible and in most cases substantially less unnatural intervention is used than in traditional tropical banana production. We are committed to constantly improving our cultural practices.

 

We also intend to grow our share of the banana market and to do this we will require more production either through increased productivity, increased hectares under production or more growers. 

 

History of NSW Banana Industry

 

The history of the NSW Banana industry can be traced back to the late 1800s. Nearly all of Australia’s banana production took place in subtropical northern NSW and South East Queensland.

 

To avoid damage by frost, bananas were grown on slopes at least 30 metres above ground level and preferably on warm north easterly facing land. Banana growing is a very labour intensive business and usually involves the whole family. It is a tough and dirty job but when done well is reasonably financially rewarding and satisfying.

 

In the 1920s and 30s the dreaded Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) spread in epidemic proportions which virtually wiped out the industry. The virus is spread by aphids sucking on the leaves and chokes the plant leaves up at the throat. There was no cure and this remains the case today.

 

This catastrophe caused fruit shortages and high prices which attracted more growers into the industry, particularly after it was demonstrated that the disease could be controlled by the destruction of infected plants.

 

By 1934 there were record plantings and fruit was plentiful which meant of course that growers were receiving very poor prices.  By the late 1930’s drought and Bunchy Top added to the toll and as growers left the industry, the planted area receded.

 

During the Second World War acreages dropped further due to the shortage of labour and by 1942, growers who were able to continue production were enjoying a prosperity unequalled any time before. 

 

After the war so many people were attracted to the industry that a quota scheme was introduced to control supplies.  However, in June 1949 a severe cyclone caused so much damage that the scheme was not needed until the summer of 1949-50 when it was used only briefly.

 

The prolonged drought and severe winter of 1952 cut supplies so drastically that prices were again driven upwards. This again attracted another wave of growers to the industry, with subsequent heavy plantings and the resultant low prices.

 

In 1954 another cyclone devastated the crop, causing a further price spiral and yet more plantings.  In the two following years growers returns fell below the cost of production causing many growers to again move out of bananas.

 

A drought in 1957 reversed the situation and prices soared to record levels.  But by 1959 increased plantings, favourable weather, improved disease control and better cultural methods meant poor prices once again.

 

In 1960 many thousands of perfectly good bunches were allowed to rot in plantations, simply because they cost more to harvest than they were worth at market. By 1963 the industry had again turned around and almost 30,000 acres were planted to bananas.

 

In 1964 there were moves to have bananas included in the Marketing of Primary Products Act but growers were against this. So in 1969 the NSW Government passed the first Banana Industry Act leaving BGF to administer the NSW banana industry.

 

Around 1980 north Queensland took over as the major banana producing area in Australia. Many NSW growers had gone to Tully and Innisfail to grow bananas in more amenable conditions i.e. grow on flat land, in warmer tropical temperatures and mechanise. No more humping bunches on your shoulders for long distances!

 

Cyclone Winifred totally decimated the north Queensland banana industry in 1986

and growers in SEQ, NSW and WA received extraordinary prices for their fruit until the north Queensland industry recovered in 1987. Typically with all the north Queensland fruit replanted at the same time, the market that year was absolutely glutted with prices so low as to almost destroy some north Queensland growers.

 

In 1987, the State Government established the Banana Industry Committee, which reports to Parliament through the Minister for Agriculture.  Since then BGF has been responsible only for its trading and transport operations and its own central market wholesaling outlets.

 

Gradually the NSW industry has shrunk with sales of NSW fruit accounting for less than 20% of sales through the central markets. With bananas sold by weight, the very big north Queensland Cavendish banana received the best price, particularly from the big chain stores. North Queensland Cavendish bananas would now represent 70 – 75% of Australian production.

 

With the NSW Cavendish product realising a substantially lower price, many growers left the industry or opted to grow the Lady Finger variety. This smaller, more acidic and flavoursome banana fetches a good price for quality product. A much smaller bunch than Cavendish, the Lady Finger variety is extremely susceptible to the devastating Panama disease which is rapidly spreading in the northern part of the NSW growing area.

 

Like Bunchy Top, Panama disease is incurable and being a soil-borne pathogen     

is a much more potent killer. There are many strains of this disease with all of them deadly to Lady Fingers.

 

In 2000 the BIC voted to implement a marketing plan that would utilise the consumer research that showed many consumers to be less than happy with the banana available to them.

 

The NSW Cavendish banana that takes almost twice as long to mature as the north Queensland product will be branded as a subtropical banana. It will promote its natural attributes – superior flavour, superior taste and a more widely accepted smaller size.

 

“Sweet Success” will be the name of the brand. BananasNSW has set a target of 25 % of the Cavendish banana market to consist of the “Sweet Success” banana by the end of 2005. A cunning plan is also being devised to introduce more Australian consumers to the taste of Lady Finger.

 

History of the Banana

 

Bananas are the number one fruit in Australia and indeed the world. It is also one of the oldest fruit known to man.  Greeks under Alexander the Great, in 300 BC discovered the fruit in India and from there the banana reached South China. India today is still the world’s largest producer of bananas followed by Brazil.

 

In 1828, bananas were grown on the Isle of Mauritius and from there two plants were taken to the gardens of Lord Cavendish who grew them in the present Kew Gardens in England.  Lord Cavendish subsequently gave some banana plants to missionaries travelling to the South Sea Islands in about 1840.

 

The plants quickly multiplied and with the help of a missionary called Williams spread to Fiji.  When Queensland sugarcane growers searched for Island labour they returned with banana plants and so introduced the fruit to Queensland in the late 1870’s. Herman Reich introduced the Cavendish variety to the local scene in 1891 in the Korora area near Coffs Harbour.  Several varieties of bananas were grown on the Clarence River between 1860-1880.  These included Lady Fingers, Plantain and Pig bananas.  Lady Fingers were also grown in Gosford in the 1840’s.

 

The Williams hybrid Cavendish banana was introduced to Kororo and Coffs Harbour by the Campbell family in 1913.  Can you believe that the original six plants multiplied into the acreage we have today.