There is also a problem with bananas

By: Trademagazin Date: 2023. 10. 16. 11:15

If African banana-producing countries do not act in time against a seriously threatening plant disease, it can have serious consequences. A disease called Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW) threatens banana production in Central and East Africa and can even cause the destruction of the entire production area. Model calculations by Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT researchers show that half of the crop could be lost in ten years.

50 million tons of bananas are grown annually in the sub-Saharan region, which accounts for a third of the bananas consumed in the world. The size of the production area is seven million hectares, which means 60 percent of the world’s banana production area.

The bacterium BXW is the most common plant pathogen in Africa and is one of the most dangerous infectious pathogens, threatening crop production in affected countries.

The researchers modeled different scenarios to understand the consequences of different levels of protection. In the worst-case scenario, if no action is taken, BXW could cause $25 billion in damage to banana plantations over ten years. Even basic countermeasures can bring significant results in avoiding damage, and quick, effective intervention can even reduce damage to zero.