Greenhouse Banana production

Greenhouse

Banana Production

Commercial production of bananas in greenhouses began in Morocco and the Canary Islands in the late 1970s with current greenhouse production at about 3500 ha and 2000 ha respectively. By Jeff Daniells, Queensland department of Employment, Economic development & Innovation and Fernando Mendez del Hoyo, Horticultural Consultant, Tenerife.

these days commercIal production of bananas in greenhouses is also prominent in Turkey (2500 ha of the 4000 ha in bananas) and Israel (1360 ha of 2200 ha total). There is also some minor production of greenhouse bananas in Crete (Greece) as well as some countries in the Middle East. Greenhouse Banana production has also been successfully tested in South Africa in the 1990s but has not been adopted by their industry. Work also commenced in 2009 to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of netting for banana production in Carnarvon, Western Australia.

Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) Scientist Jeff Daniells attended several presentations on banana greenhouses at the 28th International Horticultural Congress in Lisbon as well as seeing greenhouses firsthand in the Canary Islands following the congress. Mr Daniells was particularly interested in the possibility of greenhouse production of bananas in marginal locations including the subtropics as a means for Australian banana production to geographically diversify but still obtain high yields of quality fruit (see the need for geographical diversification in Australian Bananas Vol 23, December 2006, pp 44-45).

why greeNhouses?

Greenhouse production can offer a range of benefits depending upon the location. In the Canaries they are used in the most wind exposed areas (screen textile netting) and where salt spray is an issue close to the coast (plastic). This wind and salt protection plus increased temperatures more favourable to growth, have led to yield increases greater than 50 per cent. In Israel water shortages drove research on improved water use efficiency. Greenhouses (shade netting – 15 per cent shade) were demonstrated to lower evaporative

MAIN PHOTO: Screen textile greenhouses are utilised in the most wind exposed areas in the Canaries.

RIGHT: Greenhouse with screen textile netting.

BELOW: Plastic houses provide protection from salt damage in exposed areas – the packing shed centre right which was once a sugar mill.

demand by 40 per cent. Over a 10 year period even though irrigation was reduced by 25-45 per cent in the Jordan Valley, yield increased by about 20 per cent, fruit quality improved and there were greatly reduced bunch losses. These improvements occur because the greenhouse has a buffering action on plant water fluxes which is particularly noticeable under hot dry windy conditions, so that photosynthesis is enhanced. Greenhouse bananas have characteristic untorn leaves with no shredding which partly contributes to the enhanced photosynthesis. In locations like Morocco and Turkey which mostly use plastic covers. Greenhouses also provide some protection from cold damage including frosts.

how much do they cost?

Costs vary depending on the location and type of greenhouse. In the Canary Islands cost of new greenhouses are estimated at $AU142,000/ha. Maintenance costs are $AU17,000/ha to replace plastic or screen textile covers which would typically need to be done after seven and 12 years respectively. Greenhouses are not used if there is little advantage over unprotected cropping. The height of the greenhouses is typically 5.5 m – 6.0 m which limits choices in variety to shorter plants. Currently Dwarf Cavendish and Grande Naine are the main varieties cultivated in greenhouses. Taller greenhouses would be much more expensive and be more subject to wind damage.

In Turkey there is government assistance for the construction of greenhouses (plastic houses) in the form of low interest loans and sometimes grants of $AU2 for each lira spent on construction. The average price is about $AU205,000 to $AU215,000 per hectare.

For Israel the cost estimates we have been provided with are considerably less at only $AU20,000/ha. Despite what is still a very significant cost there has been widespread adoption in the past 10 years as much emphasis is placed on self sufficiency and food security in Israel and greenhouses also allow the utilisation of otherwise marginal lands.

On the Granite Belt in Queensland, hail netting has become a very prominent part of the landscapes protecting pome and stone fruits. This costs growers about $AU50,000/ha for structures that are about 5.5 m high. The actual cost depends on the total area covered, topography of the block and shape of the block being netted (cheaper per hectare for larger areas, flat ground, rectangular blocks). Cost is split roughly one third net, one third posts/holes and one third labour.

coNclusIoNs

When selecting sites for production, the large banana companies overseas have looked for the following features: • favourable climate without cyclones and fruit chilling • the best soils – well drained & fertile • good rainfall and supplementary water if required • cheap labour

These are some of the ingredients which make for profitability. The cheaper the cost to produce per kg the better, so long as the required quality is there and supply is reliable.

Greenhouse production greatly adds to the costs of production and we don’t yet see any multinationals going down this route for their banana production.

While there may be some locations in Australia where greenhouses may provide large advantages in banana productivity, fruit quality, water use efficiency and potentially assist with geographical diversification, they are nevertheless very expensive to establish and maintain.

Where they have been adopted overseas, they have either been highly subsidised by government and/or did not have to compete with fruit from locations where fruit could be produced more cheaply. There was also a large difference in yield and fruit quality between greenhouse and unprotected cropping. In Israel adoption was also driven by a strong need for improved water use efficiency.

The up-front cost of construction would greatly increase the risk of failure for an enterprise particularly in a marketplace such as Australia where prices are far from assured.