Bananas.org

Welcome to the Bananas.org forums.

You're currently viewing our message boards as a guest which gives you limited access to participate in discussions and access our other features such as our wiki and photo gallery. By joining our community, you'll have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload photos, and access many other special features. Registration is fast and simple, so please join our community today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

Go Back   Bananas.org > Banana Forum > Main Banana Discussion
Register Photo Gallery Classifieds Wiki Chat Map Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Main Banana Discussion This is where we discuss our banana collections; tips on growing bananas, tips on harvesting bananas, sharing our banana photos and stories.


Members currently in the chatroom: 0
The most chatters online in one day was 17, 09-06-2009.
No one is currently using the chat.

Reply   Email this Page Email this Page
 
LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 08-31-2005, 06:14 PM   #1 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
JoeReal's Avatar
 
Location: Davis, California USDA zone 9
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,034
BananaBucks : 405,709
Feedback: 1 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 108 Times
Was Thanked 474 Times in 228 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 16 Times
Default Future of bananas

http://www.new-agri.co.uk/03-2/pov.html

Last edited by JoeReal : 08-31-2005 at 06:35 PM.
JoeReal is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To JoeReal

Join Bananas.org Today!

Are you a banana plant enthusiast? Then we hope you will join the community. You will gain access to post, create threads, private message, upload images, join groups and more.

Bananas.org is owned and operated by fellow banana plant enthusiasts. We strive to offer a non-commercial community to learn and share information. Receive all three issues from Volume 1 of Bananas Magazine with your membership:
   

Join Bananas.org Today! - Click Here


Sponsors

Old 08-31-2005, 06:30 PM   #2 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
bananalover's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 186
BananaBucks : 50,527
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 0 Times
Was Thanked 12 Times in 7 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times
Default Re: Future of bananas

Copy and paste then take the f off the end and it will show up.
bananalover is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To bananalover
Old 08-31-2005, 06:37 PM   #3 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
JoeReal's Avatar
 
Location: Davis, California USDA zone 9
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,034
BananaBucks : 405,709
Feedback: 1 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 108 Times
Was Thanked 474 Times in 228 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 16 Times
Default Re: Future of bananas

Thanks, edited it in the original post.
http://www.new-agri.co.uk/03-2/pov.html
JoeReal is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To JoeReal
Old 08-31-2005, 06:44 PM   #4 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
bananalover's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 186
BananaBucks : 50,527
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 0 Times
Was Thanked 12 Times in 7 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times
Default Re: Future of bananas

I found this very interesting. I think this is a problem with most things we eat. They are expected to look all the same but I really don't think this is because of the consumers. Normally people really go for anything that is new, interesting and unusual. I think people get used to one form of fruits or vegetables because that is what is mostly available to them.
As for cavendish going down, I think people will accept whatever else comes up in the stores as long as it tastes good. They will buy it at first because it is different and they will stick with it later because it will probably be all there is and they will be used to it. Happened before and I amsure it will again. We are very good at repeating ourselves.
Funny thing is that I don't buy very many bananas. I think they are too expensive and only get them when they are in a bag. Then I dry or make banana bread or butter out of whatever we don't eat. Someday I hope to have our own bananas and we will be able to enjoy them more often and the different flavors are definitely a plus.
bananalover is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To bananalover
Old 08-31-2005, 06:52 PM   #5 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
JoeReal's Avatar
 
Location: Davis, California USDA zone 9
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,034
BananaBucks : 405,709
Feedback: 1 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 108 Times
Was Thanked 474 Times in 228 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 16 Times
Default Re: Future of bananas

On the average, bananas are the cheapest fruits in the grocery stores. Costco sells them for $0.33/lb year round.
JoeReal is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To JoeReal
Sponsors

Old 08-31-2005, 07:03 PM   #6 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
bananalover's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 186
BananaBucks : 50,527
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 0 Times
Was Thanked 12 Times in 7 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times
Default Re: Future of bananas

Well, they are about $.49 lb. here and yes maybe they are cheaper than most, now that you mention it but we unfortunately just don't have a lot of money for fruit at all, that is why we are trying to grow it ourselves.
bananalover is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To bananalover
Old 08-31-2005, 07:13 PM   #7 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
JoeReal's Avatar
 
Location: Davis, California USDA zone 9
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,034
BananaBucks : 405,709
Feedback: 1 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 108 Times
Was Thanked 474 Times in 228 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 16 Times
Default Re: Future of bananas

Bananalover, we grow fruiting plants for a diversity of reasons. Not that one reason is more right than another, after all this is a forum that we share why we grow plants.

But honestly for me, lb per lb, the cost of production of fruits at my yard is 5-50 times more than the price I can get from the stores if i were to value all the time and resources involved and my opportunity costs elsewhere. However, the growing part is therapeutic for me and is quite priceless, and the fruits I consider as gifts from God. I for one are growing banana varieties that I cannot obtain from the stores. I grow pome and stone fruits because the taste of a properly tree-ripened fruit from these types are never attained by grocery store produce. I can also minimize using pesticides and other carcinogens. We really grow plants for various reasons. To some it could be economics, to others, could simply be spiritual or religious. We are such a diversified bunch and I respect the reasons of each one of us.
JoeReal is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To JoeReal
Old 08-31-2005, 08:14 PM   #8 (permalink)
Banana grower
 
momoese's Avatar
 
Zone: zone 10
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 7,589
BananaBucks : 8,568
Feedback: 9 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 3,746 Times
Was Thanked 10,883 Times in 3,309 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 728 Times
Default Re: Future of bananas

I read the same thing in Popular Science last month. Interesting how the corporations get their panties all in a wad over this stuff when history has shown that people will adapt to what is available at the local market.
momoese is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To momoese
Old 08-31-2005, 08:54 PM   #9 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
JoeReal's Avatar
 
Location: Davis, California USDA zone 9
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,034
BananaBucks : 405,709
Feedback: 1 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 108 Times
Was Thanked 474 Times in 228 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 16 Times
Default Re: Future of bananas

Yup, I was the one who posted that article here too, way back earlier. This recent post shows that now in the UK and most elsewhere that worry about it seems not to grow bananas nor have tasted the different ones out there. For example, the best marketable banana found in the grocery stores both in Europe and the US are indeed very sweet but that's it, not even a hint of acidity nor complexity in flavor like Lakatan to name one of the many possible interesting tastes from various cultivars. Us banana lovers, growers and hobbyists need not worry one bit for now. As long as the price is right for any cultivar fruits that retails in the market, people will adjust, really there should be no big fuss.
JoeReal is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To JoeReal
Old 08-31-2005, 10:47 PM   #10 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
bananalover's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 186
BananaBucks : 50,527
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 0 Times
Was Thanked 12 Times in 7 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times
Default Re: Future of bananas

Well, my cost for production of bananas is going to be pretty low. I buy everything ON SALE. Lets see the potting soil was on sale these last couple of weeks at Winn-Dixie which was going out of business, my plants were mostly bought on ebay at the lowest price I could get. My fertiziler cost 2.97 a box and lasts a good long while. I am pretty sure that extra pups will pay for the plants probably the second year. I DO NOT include labor which is ridiculous in something that is basically a hobby. Oh, I ammend the soil with the organic waste from chickens, ducks, guinea, quail and rabbits I have when I think it is better than soil I can buy at the store which for potted plants is not very often.
Yup, think I will come out ahead.We'll see but I don't think bananas are near as particular as you all are making them out to be.
bananalover is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To bananalover
Old 08-31-2005, 11:54 PM   #11 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
JoeReal's Avatar
 
Location: Davis, California USDA zone 9
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,034
BananaBucks : 405,709
Feedback: 1 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 108 Times
Was Thanked 474 Times in 228 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 16 Times
Default Re: Future of bananas

I have a friend who spent $25,000 on a greenhouse and managed to only fit 2 bananas. It hasn't fruited yet, 2 years now. So you could imagine the cost of the first few hands of bananas going to be. The interest on finance would be $163.54/month. Imagine how many lbs of bananas you can have with that interest alone.

Include the electric and heating bills, my oh my! The only thing that will pay for itself under these type of growing scenarios are cannabis and other hallucinogenic plants, but those are illegal, especially if get caught.
JoeReal is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To JoeReal
Old 09-01-2005, 01:23 AM   #12 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
Bananavilla's Avatar
 
Location: Crescent City California
Zone: 9
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 211
BananaBucks : 67,208
Feedback: 1 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 0 Times
Was Thanked 35 Times in 17 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times
Default Re: Future of bananas

And I thought we didn't care about fruit around here, but just like to watch them grow?
Joe, you are right it is much more expensive to grow your own. But like you I grow varieties you can not buy. It is very rewarding to grow a banana tree all the way though to harvest. Especially in an area where they say "you can't grow bananas here". Harvesting a bunch is worth every penny spent and it is a very enjoyable hobby.
Mike
Bananavilla is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To Bananavilla
Old 09-01-2005, 12:02 PM   #13 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
JoeReal's Avatar
 
Location: Davis, California USDA zone 9
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,034
BananaBucks : 405,709
Feedback: 1 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 108 Times
Was Thanked 474 Times in 228 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 16 Times
Default Re: Future of bananas

That is true Mike! Some of us are content to watch them grow. Some of us would like the challenge of growing them when everyone else says you can't. Of course most of us will try to minimize our costs whenever we can. Just like bananalover, I do try to keep my costs down in various places, but then I balance this with quality materials versus the resources that I have, be it time or money as the constraints, or the wife's approval. I no longer wanted to plant tall varieties, nor the cold sensitive ones. If they will survive in the insulated pot or in the ground outside during the winter, then they stay, otherwise, I will send them off to people interested in this forum.

I save mostly with non-banana plants where I do grafting and budding when acquiring new varieties in exchanges. I get to test and taste them out in my yard conditions without buying the whole tree ($10 - $50 each).

I do produce fruits that lb for lb are a lot cheaper than the stores, and these are my persimmons, oranges, lemons, calamondins and kumquats. I basically let them be and have yielded plenty for me. Lemons especially, sometimes they go for more than $1 each fruit past spring time and I have them year round and they don't require much care unlike the rest of my fruiting plants.

I believe if I have enough space, bananas could be in the range where it can become cheaper, my comparison are not the sweet cavendish types, but the cooking types. Plantains usually sell for more than $1/lb, and most of the cold-hardy types that will fruit here are on the plantain side.

I just want to say that there are pluses and minuses and we are also here to share tips that could help us bring some costs down.
JoeReal is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To JoeReal
Old 09-01-2005, 04:33 PM   #14 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
bananalover's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 186
BananaBucks : 50,527
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 0 Times
Was Thanked 12 Times in 7 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times
Default Re: Future of bananas

You know now that I think about it you are probably right, it does cost more when I add in everything, lol. Luckily I am one of those people who just loves to watch them grow too so I don't mind and I have to run the heat in the greenhouse for other plants too. I do love the look of banana plants and the fact that there aren't a lot of them growing around here. If I can get one to fruit it would be a real accomplishment and I get to feel good about that as well.
bananalover is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To bananalover
Reply   Email this Page Email this Page

Previous Thread: Banana of the kings.............
Next Thread: 4 more today





Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:20 AM.





All content © Bananas.org & the respective author.