Climate change threatens future of banana export industry

Climate change is rapidly reducing the ability of banana producers to supply one of our favourite fruits. New research from the University of Exeter, published in Nature Food, has found it will be economically unsustainable by 2080 for many areas across Latin America and the Caribbean to continue growing bananas for export, because of rising temperatures caused by climate change.

Bananas are a key export crop worth $11 billion (£8.9 billion) annually and are crucial for the economies of many countries. Yet in just over half a century, 60 per cent of the regions currently producing bananas will struggle to grow the fruit unless there are urgent interventions to tackle climate change. The study also found that socioeconomic factors, such as labour availability and infrastructure, significantly constrain climate change adaptation. Most banana production occurs near densely populated areas and ports, limiting the potential for relocation to more suitable regions.

The researchers developed a new method using satellite imagery to map banana production in Latin America and the Caribbean at very high resolution and then estimated the climate under which bananas are preferentially grown. Their findings showed climate change will reduce the best areas for banana growth and yields in many important producer countries, as well as increasing worker exposure to extreme temperatures.

Source: Eurek Alert!