Year: 2020

A global pandemic may seem a complete world away from a disease that threatens Australia’s banana industry. However, on-farm responses by banana growers’ to COVID, compared to efforts to continue to control Panama disease tropical race 4 (TR4), have some distinct parallels. By Sonia Campbell When…

Avid home baker Scarlett Cheesman with her winning banana bread recipe. By Lea Coghlan  When Scarlett Cheesman pulled together her award-winning National Banana Day Banana Bread Bake-off entry it was the first time she had created the masterpiece.  An accomplished banana bread baker, Scarlett’s entry…

Despite the COVID-19 health pandemic, the Australian banana industry still managed to celebrate its national day – National Banana Day on May 1. Growers from around Australia contributed videos and photos featuring banana growers which were uploaded to the ABGC Facebook page throughout the day. The response…

The Australian banana industry’s search for new varieties resistant to diseases such as Panama tropical race 4 (TR4) and Panama disease race 1 is looking brighter than ever, thanks to major inroads being made by a national plant protection project. Most recently, the project has managed…

Planning is in full swing for the next Australian Banana Industry Congress (ABIC) to be held in Tropical Far North Queensland from May 12-14, 2021.The ABIC Management Committee is closely monitoring the unfolding impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, however the committee remains hopeful of being…

Welcome to the Australian Bananas 2020 end of financial year marketing update. This activity is managed by Hort Innovation on behalf of the industry and is funded by the banana marketing levy. By Tate Connolly, Hort Innovation Marketing Manager We’ve closed out year two of three for our…

Carnarvon banana grower and former ABGC director Tom Day in his plantation the morning after ex-tropical Cyclone Mangga. By Lea Coghlan  Carnarvon banana growers suffered an estimated 30 per cent production loss across the growing region as a result of ex-tropical cyclone Mangga which wreaked…