Going to Bananaland....
 

Next january I'll be back in Philippines (Cebu) for diving purposes:2730::islandsharkbanana:, and I'd like to take advantage of my 30Kg of baggage allowance to take back any uncommon cultivar of local banana.....

Last time I've been there , I was too much ignorant about 'nanas to tell the difference from one cultivar to another so I ate many good 'nanas' fruits without knowing what they were...


Does anyone know if there is anything special I can take back home hidden between a fin and a wetsuit ?
Obviously any european member who will like to have one, will be presented with a pup of philippine 'nana.... :2722:

:woohoonaner:

Re: Going to Bananaland....
 

Oh, you bet there are many special naners. :2750:


But there are so many varieties in Phillipines, that it's really difficult to tell which is going to be better than the other. Obviously, if you manage to find it, I would go for grey Saba. That's what we don't have here...:ukkibannana:


I also expect lots of pix upon your return. :2623:
Not only of bananas. :bananas_b

Re: Going to Bananaland....
 

Just to inspire you...

Here's Pisang Kepok Kapas (Grey Saba) from our Malay member Novi.
http://www.bananas.org/f260/grey-sab...pas-11227.html

Re: Going to Bananaland....
 

Re: Going to Bananaland....
 

You would think a guy would be the logical choice to have it in his underwear!
:ha:

Re: Going to Bananaland....
 

I personally agree with this policy, large parts of Australia are indeed tropical, but that's not the case in temperate/subtropical Europe. Restrictions are in place, but as we know, Marguerite from Netherland got her package and was brought some naners without any problems... so it depends.

Fusarium wilt and sigatoka would decimate Australia's banana industry and make them rely on the Asian market (consequently decimating home production in agriculture, as seen for instance in EU...), so I understand why they are so prohibitive and why they want to keep their inner market secure.

Re: Going to Bananaland....
 

Yeah, a bottle. Most guys are alcoholics.

Re: Going to Bananaland....
 

Do you really have to hide the bananas? I thought it would be allowed to take a plant, as long as there is no soil on it...

Re: Going to Bananaland....
 

What could he lose by hiding it? :03:

Re: Going to Bananaland....
 

That just can't happen in Europe as the article also points out,and especially not with something like banana pups. Exporting a dug up from habitat threatened species of plant,yes,could bring you heavy treatment,especially if you know/understand what you did but with anything not threatened(and easilly IDed as such)or prohibited,you can basically walk with it in the airport here....I know a story where Greek people went to an exotic destination for vacations,bought a young Elais guineensis each and flew back here holding the potted plant during the whole airplane trip!!! And they got in Greece walking through the airport with those on hand!!! I also know how pissed the local phytopathological costume were to hear that but nothing was done of course. Questioning their employee at the airport he said:Well,I didn't see them!
How could you ever notice 40 people with potted palms on hand walking though the airport?
Anyway,the above story is completely true and I am all for this situation. If I lived in Australia though,I would adhere to the rules as I could also find the plants I want there so why order or bring them from abroad???

I would also love a pup of a special banana cultivar,something really Tall with unusual fruit or a stunning red on it,or a Tall Cavendish type would do great!
Grey Saba would be awesome but I don't think this would be likely to find around unfortunately. Pictures while you are still there could help the I'D experts here to guide you on which ones to go for for something uncommon!

Wish you have a great trip there and enjoy your dives a lot!!! I am a diver too btw and dived tropical waters for the first time earlier this year at the Sand Key,FL

All the best,
-Konstantinos

Re: Going to Bananaland....
 

Wow, looks great.... If I have know of it in February while I was in Indonesia I swould have take a pup for sure....

Re: Going to Bananaland....
 

LOL.... she has not been very clever to say the least... LOL
I'd put them in the luggage mixed with scuba gear and not in my underwear (but I coud always say to custom to be a close relative of Rocco Siffredi... :08: )

Anyway I have to clear that point before going there.... if it's possible to import soilless it would be great , otherwise I have to get a phitosanitary certificate in a way or another.....

Re: Going to Bananaland....
 

I hope so.....

As a last choice I could try to smuggle only the corms.....

Re: Going to Bananaland....
 

Luckily my resort has free WI-FI connection so I'll be able to upload pics every day for experts to ID the 'nanas.....
Last time I've been there even if I couldn't tell the difference between cultivars I was amazed of the sheer quantity of bananas .... they were everywhere in fields or mats, or isolated plants next to villeger's homes.....

My girlfriend gave every day some coins to local kids for them to clim a huge banana tree ad bring here some delicious fruit to eat for breakfast

I remember only one particular plant that had the flower very close to the ground and above it there were about 2 meters of bananas .... it was near a local restaurant and the owner just had to cut two or three 'nanas when a guest ordered a banana pancake.... now I suppose it was a 1000 fingers.


Anyway, I don't know the regulations to import plants here in EU and I'll take infos because I'd like to do the right way if possible, but i any case even if I'll decide to hide them in the baggage, I have good chances to pass through customs unharmed.... I often go to US and many friends ask me to bring them back photocameras , GPS or the likes wich i put in the luggage (without boxes of course) and, I've never been subjected to inspection by italian custom.... and when I come back from I diving trip , my luggage is so heavy and looks so near to explode ewith gears that custom's officials look at me with comprehention ...:ha:

Re: Going to Bananaland....
 

Just before you leave from there send few corms in package back home.
:woohoonaner:

Re: Going to Bananaland....
 

That is a good idea.... in the worst case , they will be blocked in In taly and sent back ....

I hope I can find a nursery there who can fill a certificate for some plants down in Manila....
As soon as I'll book the resort , I'll contact some people down there and ask if they can arrange that business with a local nursery.

Re: Going to Bananaland....
 

As I wrote before in a few threads here, you shouldn't worry too much to bring back plants to Italy. Custom checks are very rare at airports here in Greece, also in Germany and the same maybe in Italy, too if you're coming from outside of the EU. I received many plants from the US by mail without phyto certificate and never had any problems (so far).

It may be wise to send them by mail, but check in advance how long it'll take you. Do not ship them from a small post office in the middle of nowhere. Central post offices in big towns or airport post offices are good. Maybe you can check this in advance. It won't help you if the plants sneak through customs, but are dead anyway, because they travelled for a month or two. Courier may be expensive, but that's something you need to decide.

Don't declare them as plants! Write something else. Also declare them as a gift with a value not exceeding 45,- €, because this is the limit for duty and tax free import for private gifts by mail.

You could also try to split the pups you'll take home and send some by mail and have some in your luggage.

Re: Going to Bananaland....
 

Guys, you have siestas... it can't go any lazier than that. :ha: Nobody will bother with checking, unpacking and packing back again.

Maybe it's worth a try to contact Novi, if he is nearby... he has tons of TCed plantlets...

Re: Going to Bananaland....
 

I agree with Brend that bring small pups in your suitcase isnt gonna cause you any problems at all. Just avoid hiding those in the luggage you will take on the plane as these are the ones checked the most. The checked in luggage do the job just fine. Just try to split those in different places in the luggage and hidden from immediate view when opening the luggage for example. Packing them between clothes and other things help insulate them against possible cold they may face on the travel.
As for packing them in your scuba gear,i am not sure and dont know how much its checked by the customs but i would say the only safe places inside the scuba equipment is the regulator bag and the dry suit(packed inside it).The dry suit wouldnt be checked much and if the pups are small enough to not make any big bumps in the suit,they should go unnoticed. I suspect they dont scan the scuba gear,right? If they do,i think they would see the pups as a gelly thing and check it right away as liquids and gell are not allowed on the plane and they can trace those with casual scanning through the maching.

From what i know from an Italian friend on another forum,Italian customs are not as ours as far as parcels are concerned and he has had far too many parcels confiscated by the Italian customs although the senders did their best to avoid that. So i would say this would be rather risky. Better put them in checked in luggage.

If however you do get a Phytocertificate for them,you can legally get them on the plane with you although i dont know the exact procedure for declaring them and how they are handled afterwards.

Other good cultivars to get are Fehi if you happen to come across them there...

Re: Going to Bananaland....
 

That depends. If the sender was Ahmed bin Ulurbin or similar name, then yes, it will get checked. :ha: