Story: Growing Innovation - Fresher and Longer-lasting Bananas
Episode: 1
Presenter: Trevor Cochrane
Air Date: 5th August

Trevor makes a trip up to Carnarvon, the food-bowl of WA, to look into how Sweeter Bananas make their creamier, more sturdy bananas.

• Sweeter Bananas is a family-run initiative that utilises Troforte technology to boost their food production. They are a proudly West-Australian group, and can be recognised with the Buy West Eat Best Logo, which demonstrates that it is grown right here in WA.
• As the name suggests, Carnarvon’s Sweeter Banana have a sweet and creamy taste due to their longer growing times (around half that of tropical bananas - around 14-15 months as opposed to 7-9 months)
• Zero pesticides/insecticides/fungicides are used in these bananas. A natural eco system with plenty of predatory bugs to keep pests under control. A self-sustaining healthy insect population as well as an isolated environment at the edge of the desert means they are free of many tropical fungal diseases that occur in tropical areas where bananas are grown.
• Carnarvon Sweeter Banana are smaller than tropical bananas for most of the year, they get a little bit bigger in summer summer when the growing conditions are more closely aligned with tropical conditions. Slower growth means more energy and sugar goes into the fruit.
• The bananas are grown closer together to create a microclimate to keep humidity in, hot summer sun out, protect against sea breeze keep things a bit warmer in the winter. This results in more skin markings due to leaves from the trees rubbing the bananas, but only the skin.

For more information, head to:
www.troforte.com.au