Asparagus!

"limey" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:E3BTf.2662$hC.2466@trnddc08:

Quoted message said:

The pictures were on the news here this morning. Devastating.

There was a lot of damage, but thankfully no fatalities. There's now worry
about disease such as gastroenteritis and hepatitis, and also mosquito
borne diseases like Ross River fever and dengue fever.

In Phred's post he mentioned damage to crops like bananas. They're saying
80% of the national banana crop has been destroyed. Severe damage to sugar
crops as well (not as much of the national crop as with bananas though).A
devastating blow for the farmers and others in the industry in the area.

In the paper this morning they reported that the price of bananas had
doubled at Flemington markets (large wholesale produce market in Sydney)
yesterday morning before the cyclone even made landfall. They were also
predicting an acute banana shortage in Sydney within a few weeks. Our
quarantine restrictions don't currently allow importation of bananas from
anywhere, so I imagine there'll eventually be only a small supply of quite
expensive bananas available.

--
Rhonda Anderson
Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

In article said:

"limey" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:E3BTf.2662$hC.2466@trnddc08:

Quoted message said:

The pictures were on the news here this morning. Devastating.

There was a lot of damage, but thankfully no fatalities. There's now worry
about disease such as gastroenteritis and hepatitis, and also mosquito
borne diseases like Ross River fever and dengue fever.

In Phred's post he mentioned damage to crops like bananas. They're saying
80% of the national banana crop has been destroyed. Severe damage to sugar
crops as well (not as much of the national crop as with bananas though).A
devastating blow for the farmers and others in the industry in the area.

They're guessing $300 million to $400 million will be taken out of the
local economy of the districts around Innisfail. That will be a
*huge* proportion of local economic activity there. As well, it's
expected some 4,000 people will be out of work. Centrelink will have
a lot of clients down there for the next 12 to 18 months or more. :-(

Quoted message said:

In the paper this morning they reported that the price of bananas had
doubled at Flemington markets (large wholesale produce market in Sydney)
yesterday morning before the cyclone even made landfall. They were also
predicting an acute banana shortage in Sydney within a few weeks. Our
quarantine restrictions don't currently allow importation of bananas from
anywhere, so I imagine there'll eventually be only a small supply of quite
expensive bananas available.

The strongest gusts where I am on the fringe of the devastated areas,
came from the west (and later swung to the north as the centre passed
about 50 km south of us). My "backyard" banana is actually on the
eastern side of the house and came though unscathed. I'll have to pay
more attention to its welfare than I've done in the past. :-)

Cheers, Phred.

--
[email hidden]

[email hidden] (Phred) wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

They're guessing $300 million to $400 million will be taken out of the
local economy of the districts around Innisfail. That will be a
*huge* proportion of local economic activity there. As well, it's
expected some 4,000 people will be out of work. Centrelink will have
a lot of clients down there for the next 12 to 18 months or more. :-(

And a lot of those unemployed will undoubtedly be those whose homes were
destroyed or severely damaged.

so I imagine there'll eventually be only a
small supply of quite expensive bananas available.

My "backyard" banana is actually on the

Quoted message said:

eastern side of the house and came though unscathed. I'll have to pay
more attention to its welfare than I've done in the past. :-)

You most certainly will. I no longer have a backyard banana, and the one
at this house never gave any decent fruit anyway. (The one we had when I
was growing up did - lovely small sugar bananas - must have been in just
the right sheltered spot, as the Penrith area isn't really a banana
growing district <g>😉.

--
Rhonda Anderson
Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

Rhonda Anderson said:

[email hidden] (Phred) wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

They're guessing $300 million to $400 million will be taken out of the
local economy of the districts around Innisfail. That will be a
*huge* proportion of local economic activity there. As well, it's
expected some 4,000 people will be out of work. Centrelink will have
a lot of clients down there for the next 12 to 18 months or more. :-(

And a lot of those unemployed will undoubtedly be those whose homes were
destroyed or severely damaged.

so I imagine there'll eventually be only a
small supply of quite expensive bananas available.

I was reading that bananas are up to AUD6 per kilo. Are they always
that dear? In the states, they're about US$1 per kilo and less most
places. I wonder if it's because of your import restrictions?

Glad you're all alive. The rest of it can be rebuilt or regrown.

maxine in ri

"Rhonda Anderson" wrote

Quoted message said:

"limey" wrote >> The pictures were on the news here this morning.

Devastating.

Quoted message said:

There was a lot of damage, but thankfully no fatalities. There's now worry
about disease such as gastroenteritis and hepatitis, and also mosquito
borne diseases like Ross River fever and dengue fever.

In Phred's post he mentioned damage to crops like bananas. They're saying
80% of the national banana crop has been destroyed. Severe damage to sugar
crops as well (not as much of the national crop as with bananas though).A
devastating blow for the farmers and others in the industry in the area.

In the paper this morning they reported that the price of bananas had
doubled at Flemington markets (large wholesale produce market in Sydney)
yesterday morning before the cyclone even made landfall. They were also
predicting an acute banana shortage in Sydney within a few weeks. Our
quarantine restrictions don't currently allow importation of bananas from
anywhere, so I imagine there'll eventually be only a small supply of quite
expensive bananas available.

Rhonda Anderson
Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

One thing the world can't combat is the fury of Mother Nature. So much
havoc in so short a time.
I hope the farming industry gets some help and soon recovers but I'm sure it
takes years to grow banana trees to where they are productive.

I hope the Australian government is much quicker responding than was/is the
US government after Hurricanes Wilma, Katrina and Rita. Devastating blows
in a very short time and many people are still awaiting assistance after six
months.

Dora

"maxine in ri" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:1142961208.212591.254550
@t31g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

Quoted message said:

Rhonda Anderson wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

so I imagine there'll eventually be only a
small supply of quite expensive bananas available.

I was reading that bananas are up to AUD6 per kilo. Are they always
that dear? In the states, they're about US$1 per kilo and less most
places. I wonder if it's because of your import restrictions?

Not always that dear, no. Usually less than a couple of dollars a kilo.
We don't import bananas, but we grow plenty to supply the domestic
market.From what I read, the wholesale price at the markets doubled when
they realised that Larry would hit the banana growing region.

Quoted message said:

Glad you're all alive. The rest of it can be rebuilt or regrown.

Yes. I'm also glad I don't live up that way - cyclones I can do without!

--
Rhonda Anderson
Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

Phred said:

In article said:

"limey" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:E3BTf.2662$hC.2466@trnddc08:

Quoted message said:

The pictures were on the news here this morning. Devastating.

There was a lot of damage, but thankfully no fatalities. There's now worry
about disease such as gastroenteritis and hepatitis, and also mosquito
borne diseases like Ross River fever and dengue fever.

In Phred's post he mentioned damage to crops like bananas. They're saying
80% of the national banana crop has been destroyed. Severe damage to sugar
crops as well (not as much of the national crop as with bananas though).A
devastating blow for the farmers and others in the industry in the area.

They're guessing $300 million to $400 million will be taken out of the
local economy of the districts around Innisfail. That will be a
*huge* proportion of local economic activity there. As well, it's
expected some 4,000 people will be out of work. Centrelink will have
a lot of clients down there for the next 12 to 18 months or more. :-(

Quoted message said:

In the paper this morning they reported that the price of bananas had
doubled at Flemington markets (large wholesale produce market in Sydney)
yesterday morning before the cyclone even made landfall. They were also
predicting an acute banana shortage in Sydney within a few weeks. Our
quarantine restrictions don't currently allow importation of bananas from
anywhere, so I imagine there'll eventually be only a small supply of quite
expensive bananas available.

The strongest gusts where I am on the fringe of the devastated areas,
came from the west (and later swung to the north as the centre passed
about 50 km south of us). My "backyard" banana is actually on the
eastern side of the house and came though unscathed. I'll have to pay
more attention to its welfare than I've done in the past. :-)

Cheers, Phred.

Hi Phred. I was too busy for rfc yesterday, sorry to be so long about
catching up. I'm really glad that you're OK.

I read in this morning's paper that President Dubya rang our beloved
Prime Minister on his special hotline (while Howard was on air with Alan
Jones apparently) to offer us good wishes - which is nice - and American
assistance - which is hilarious.

Mind you, it looks like there's going to be an opening for cheap
American bananas, so it's an ill wind...

Christine

maxine in ri said:

Rhonda Anderson said:

[email hidden] (Phred) wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

They're guessing $300 million to $400 million will be taken out of the
local economy of the districts around Innisfail. That will be a
*huge* proportion of local economic activity there. As well, it's
expected some 4,000 people will be out of work. Centrelink will have
a lot of clients down there for the next 12 to 18 months or more. :-(

And a lot of those unemployed will undoubtedly be those whose homes were
destroyed or severely damaged.

so I imagine there'll eventually be only a
small supply of quite expensive bananas available.

I was reading that bananas are up to AUD6 per kilo. Are they always
that dear? In the states, they're about US$1 per kilo and less most
places. I wonder if it's because of your import restrictions?

Glad you're all alive. The rest of it can be rebuilt or regrown.

maxine in ri

Import restriction? What import restrictions? Haven't you heard about
the Free Trade Agreement? Only the Us has import restrictions these
days, it seems. ;-)

Christine

"Old Mother Ashby" wrote

Quoted message said:

Mind you, it looks like there's going to be an opening for cheap American
bananas, so it's an ill wind...

Christine

Er....American bananas?

Dora

"limey" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

"Old Mother Ashby" wrote

Quoted message said:

Mind you, it looks like there's going to be an opening for cheap American
bananas, so it's an ill wind...

Christine

Er....American bananas?

(laugh!) What, you don't have a banana plantation where you live?

nancy

"Nancy Young" wrote

Quoted message said:

"limey" wrote

Quoted message said:

"Old Mother Ashby" wrote

Quoted message said:

Mind you, it looks like there's going to be an opening for cheap
American bananas, so it's an ill wind...

Christine

Er....American bananas?

(laugh!) What, you don't have a banana plantation where you live?

nancy

Darn it, no.

Dora

In article <JiYTf.11275$gD4.10859@trnddc05>, "limey"

Quoted message said:

"Rhonda Anderson" wrote

Quoted message said:

In Phred's post he mentioned damage to crops like bananas. They're saying
80% of the national banana crop has been destroyed. Severe damage to sugar
crops as well (not as much of the national crop as with bananas though).A
devastating blow for the farmers and others in the industry in the area.

In the paper this morning they reported that the price of bananas had
doubled at Flemington markets (large wholesale produce market in Sydney)
yesterday morning before the cyclone even made landfall. They were also
predicting an acute banana shortage in Sydney within a few weeks. Our
quarantine restrictions don't currently allow importation of bananas from
anywhere, so I imagine there'll eventually be only a small supply of quite
expensive bananas available.

One thing the world can't combat is the fury of Mother Nature. So much
havoc in so short a time.
I hope the farming industry gets some help and soon recovers but I'm sure it
takes years to grow banana trees to where they are productive.

Depends. If the plants have only been broken (i.e. not blown out by
the roots) it seems they could produce a crop on sucker regrowth in
about 12 months in hot climates like around Innisfail.

Quoted message said:

I hope the Australian government is much quicker responding than was/is the
US government after Hurricanes Wilma, Katrina and Rita. Devastating blows
in a very short time and many people are still awaiting assistance after six
months.

Not saying the *practical* assistance won't be similarly delayed here,
but Queensland's Premier Pete has already been in the area twice since
the cyclone, which is not bad considering Larry hit on Monday morning
and it's now only Wednesday afternoon.

In truth, I haven't heard if he actually got there today when he was
programmed to accompany Prime Minister Honest John and Federal
Opposition Leader Big Kim on a visit to the worst hit areas. It
seems His Nibs, clearly upset by comments on how atypically "dry" TC
Larry was, has made an effort to better meet expectations by dumping
another 289 mm of rain on Innisfail overnight and cutting all road
access again! The poor buggers down there -- bits of roof, if not all
of it, missing on most houses and nearly 12 inches of rain to add to
the misery!

Wait, Wati! Yes, TC Wati is currently more or less stalled due east
of the devasted areas, though too far away to be affecting the coast
as yet. Its recent movements have been between WSW and WNW, which is
not encouraging for the locals. (The BOM spin merchants are calling
it "NE of Mackay" rather than "E of Innisfail" to alleviate alarm.)

The models differ concerning subsequent movement of the system, with a
*slight* edge in favour of eventually heading off SE towards Kiwiland.
However, the "circle of uncertainty" is very nearly that! See the
0100Z (1100 AEST) projection for 22 Mar 2006:
<http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65242.shtml>
[It may be a later forecast by the time you see this note.]

Cheers, Phred.

--
[email hidden]

Old Mother Ashby <[email hidden]> wrote in news:44207f92$0$4646
[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

maxine in ri said:

I was reading that bananas are up to AUD6 per kilo. Are they always
that dear? In the states, they're about US$1 per kilo and less most
places. I wonder if it's because of your import restrictions?

Glad you're all alive. The rest of it can be rebuilt or regrown.

Import restriction? What import restrictions? Haven't you heard about
the Free Trade Agreement? Only the Us has import restrictions these
days, it seems. ;-)

May seem that way when you look at what we got out of the FTA <g>. However,
we may not have other sorts of import restrictions, but there are certainly
still quarantine restrictions based on pest and disease risks. We don't
currently permit the importation of fresh bananas from any country, under
any conditions.

--
Rhonda Anderson
Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

Rhonda Anderson <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

"maxine in ri" <[email hidden]> wrote in

news:1142961208.212591.254550

Quoted message said:

@t31g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

Quoted message said:

Rhonda Anderson wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

so I imagine there'll eventually be only a
small supply of quite expensive bananas available.

I was reading that bananas are up to AUD6 per kilo. Are they always
that dear? In the states, they're about US$1 per kilo and less most
places. I wonder if it's because of your import restrictions?

Not always that dear, no. Usually less than a couple of dollars a kilo.
We don't import bananas, but we grow plenty to supply the domestic
market.

Following up to my own post here - just an update.

Had to stop at Woolies (sorry, for those not in Australia that's
Woolworths - supermarket) tonight so checked out the bananas. Just under
$4 a kilo which I think is double what they were on the weekend.

--
Rhonda Anderson
Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

[Dropped sci.geo.meteorology from followups; added aus.food.]

In article <[email hidden]>, Rhonda

Anderson said:

Rhonda Anderson <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

"maxine in ri" <[email hidden]> wrote in

news:1142961208.212591.254550

Quoted message said:

@t31g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

Quoted message said:

Rhonda Anderson wrote:

Quoted message said:

> so I imagine there'll eventually be only a
> small supply of quite expensive bananas available.

I was reading that bananas are up to AUD6 per kilo. Are they always
that dear? In the states, they're about US$1 per kilo and less most
places. I wonder if it's because of your import restrictions?

Not always that dear, no. Usually less than a couple of dollars a kilo.
We don't import bananas, but we grow plenty to supply the domestic
market.

Following up to my own post here - just an update.

Had to stop at Woolies (sorry, for those not in Australia that's
Woolworths - supermarket) tonight so checked out the bananas. Just under
$4 a kilo which I think is double what they were on the weekend.

Then the rumour that Woolies is often cheaper than Coles may be true!

We only have Coles in this R&R town and bananas have *often* been the
magic $3.99/kg since *long* before Larry appeared on the scene.

Those bloody Cavendish are too bloody big, with too little taste
anyway. With luck, some growers may replant with better varieties,
but I won't hold my breath. Commerce usually wins over quality and
the better varieties usually come in small bunch size as well as
smaller fingers, therefore cost more/kg to produce and handle.

Cheers, Phred.

--
[email hidden]

[email hidden] (Phred) wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

[Dropped sci.geo.meteorology from followups; added aus.food.]

In article <[email hidden]>, Rhonda
Anderson <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Had to stop at Woolies (sorry, for those not in Australia that's
Woolworths - supermarket) tonight so checked out the bananas. Just
under $4 a kilo which I think is double what they were on the weekend.

Then the rumour that Woolies is often cheaper than Coles may be true!

It's possible that they were on sale on the weekend! I didn't buy any
myself, my sister had mentioned, when talking about Larry,that they'd
been $1 something a kilo. I imagine they'll go up further in the not too
distant future.

Quoted message said:

We only have Coles in this R&R town and bananas have *often* been the
magic $3.99/kg since *long* before Larry appeared on the scene.

Those bloody Cavendish are too bloody big, with too little taste
anyway. With luck, some growers may replant with better varieties,
but I won't hold my breath. Commerce usually wins over quality and
the better varieties usually come in small bunch size as well as
smaller fingers, therefore cost more/kg to produce and handle.

Woolies sometimes have the smaller bananas as well. I don't really buy
bananas all that often. My main use of them is to make banana cake.
They're very good for you, but I find that while I can eat them with no
problem on some occasions, on others they tend to make me gag. Not sure
why.

--
Rhonda Anderson
Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

On Wed 22 Mar 2006 06:07:57a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Rhonda
Anderson?

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (Phred) wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

[Dropped sci.geo.meteorology from followups; added aus.food.]

In article <[email hidden]>, Rhonda
Anderson <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Had to stop at Woolies (sorry, for those not in Australia that's
Woolworths - supermarket) tonight so checked out the bananas. Just
under $4 a kilo which I think is double what they were on the weekend.

Then the rumour that Woolies is often cheaper than Coles may be true!

It's possible that they were on sale on the weekend! I didn't buy any
myself, my sister had mentioned, when talking about Larry,that they'd
been $1 something a kilo. I imagine they'll go up further in the not too
distant future.

Quoted message said:

We only have Coles in this R&R town and bananas have *often* been the
magic $3.99/kg since *long* before Larry appeared on the scene.

Those bloody Cavendish are too bloody big, with too little taste
anyway. With luck, some growers may replant with better varieties,
but I won't hold my breath. Commerce usually wins over quality and
the better varieties usually come in small bunch size as well as
smaller fingers, therefore cost more/kg to produce and handle.

Woolies sometimes have the smaller bananas as well. I don't really buy
bananas all that often. My main use of them is to make banana cake.
They're very good for you, but I find that while I can eat them with no
problem on some occasions, on others they tend to make me gag. Not sure
why.

$4.00 per kilo seems an astonishing price. Where I live in AZ, we have
been paying 48-49¢ per pound for quite some time. We each average eating
one banana per day.

--
Wayne Boatwright o¿o
____________________

BIOYA

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

We only have Coles in this R&R town and bananas have *often* been the
magic $3.99/kg since *long* before Larry appeared on the scene.

Sheesh that is expensive. We pay mostly half that, in Kiwi dollars too. And we
don't even grow our own (well not really, even though I have a bunch of
'ladyfingers' on the back porch just now - but they're not a commercial
variety).

-P.

--
=========================================
firstname dot lastname at gmail fullstop com

"Phred" wrote in message > >
With luck, some growers may replant with better varieties,

Quoted message said:

but I won't hold my breath. Commerce usually wins over quality and
the better varieties usually come in small bunch size as well as
smaller fingers, therefore cost more/kg to produce and handle.

Cheers, Phred.

Phred, how long does it take a banana tree to grow from planting size to
mature and bear fruit? It sounds as though the farmers and workers will
hurt for a long time.

Dora

Do you think we should start a new thread? This started out as my asparagus
post but has now morphed several times and is really long.

Peter Huebner <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden]
says...

Quoted message said:

We only have Coles in this R&R town and bananas have *often* been the
magic $3.99/kg since *long* before Larry appeared on the scene.

Sheesh that is expensive. We pay mostly half that, in Kiwi dollars
too. And we don't even grow our own (well not really, even though I
have a bunch of 'ladyfingers' on the back porch just now - but they're
not a commercial variety).

As soon as I saw what happened to the banana crop up north, I've kept a
*very* wary eye on the 4 bunches I have growing in the front yard!!

Got a tip from an older grower.... he said as soon as the fruit is formed,
chop the flower bud off the bottom of the stem so that it doesn't take any
of the 'goodness' away from the fruit developing.