Port launches super sustainable banana

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The company’s pioneering new offering combines Fairtrade, organic and carbon neutral certification.

by Maura Maxwell

@maurafruitnet

Social and environmentally conscious consumers in Belgium can now buy bananas that combine Fairtrade, organic and carbon neutral certification following the launch of a new super-sustainable banana.

The fruit, supplied by Hamburgbased Port International, is available at Delhaize stores. “Fairtrade and organic certifi cations are essential parts of our DNA. We have been trading with both organic and Fairtrade bananas for over 20 years now, being pioneers in Europe. With Be Climate, we want to take sustainability to the next level and protect the Earth that we all live on,” says Port International’s Karlsson Port.

“In order to reduce climate change, we have to stop talking and act. We have a very long way to go but this is the beginning and with our super banana everyone can make a contribution.”

Xavier Piesvaux, CEO of Delhaize, says becoming carbon neutral formed one of the retailer’s three main goals under its Lions Footprint programme.

“By taking actions in order to reduce our carbon footprint, we can create an immediate positive impact,” he explains. “Launching carbon-neutral products gives our ambitions extra visibility. By buying these products, customers can contribute themselves to a healthier planet, step by step.”

Nicholas Lambert, director of Fairtrade Belgium, adds: “Whilst CO2 neutrality is defi nitely an important step in the right direction, it is the combination with Fairtrade and organic that makes us go bananas.

“This banana combines a healthy climate and environment with social justice for producers. Fairtrade producers show that it is possible to produce bananas with a social and environmental impact thanks to the Fairtrade system.”

At the core of social justice in the banana sector is the need for banana producers to have access to a living income. This means that farmers should have suffi cient revenues to cover all essential costs (food and water, clothing, housing, etc.) plus a litt le extra to create a buff er for unforeseen expenses.

“In many ways, this is the main condition for both social and environmental sustainability as studies have shown that agriculture becomes more environmentally friendly if the producers have access to a decent income,” Port says.

“Consumers of the super banana can therefore be assured: buying this banana will be good for banana producers, the environment and the climate. A trade-off between diff erent aspects of sustainability is no longer needed.”

While it welcomed this new step towards sustainability in the banana sector, Fairtrade Belgium said more eff ort is needed to make sure that all bananas sold in Belgium abide by ambitious sustainability criteria.

“According to our own research, 62 per cent of the Belgian population believes that the Covid crisis should push governments to encourage a transition towards sustainable food systems,” the association says.

“Respecting the rights of farmers and workers in the agri-food system and in particular the right to a decent income should therefore be at the core of this transition. It is time for all Belgian actors involved in the banana value chain to commit together to sustainability and to set ambitious goals.” _

LEFT—The bananas are available at Delhaize stores in Belgium