Banana

I. INTRODUCTION Banana is one of the important fruit crops grown, with a global annual production of about 45 million metric tonnes (1). Asia produces about 40% of the banana produced in the world (Table 1). India, Brazil, the Philippines, Ecuador, Indonesia, China, and Thailand are the major bananaproducing countries (Table 2). The countries importing bananas include the United Kingdom, Western European countries, the United States, and Canada. About 50% of the bananas produced are eaten in cooked form. Bananas eaten in cooked form are often termed plantains. Cooked bananas are important locally in Africa as a staple foodstuff. Most of these bananas are consumed locally, only about 20% being transported to more or less distant marketplaces. About half of the bananas produced are eaten in cooked form, and the remaining half are consumed as a raw or fresh fruit. The average consumption of fresh bananas in most countries is about one or two bananas per person per week. Bananas for export are produced mainly in Central and South America as well as the Philippines (Table 3). Most exported fruit goes to North America, Europe, and Japan, and in 1989 was valued at $3.685 x 109 (Table 4) (2).