Good Old Bananas at Threat of Extinction, Say Researchers

Plagues of bugs and fungal infections threaten the global supply of bananas, say researchers.

The government in Costa Rica, one of the biggest suppliers of the fruit, has declared a "national emergency" over the state of its crop after its half-a-billion-dollar banana export industry has been hit by two separate plagues of mealybugs and scale insects, the Independent reported.

According to Magda Gonzalez, the director of the agriculture ministry's State Phytosanitary Services (SFE), climate change had boosted insect populations in recent years, making plagues increasingly likely across the world.

Gonzale told The Tico Times that the insects weaken plants and cause blemishes on fruit, leading to vast batches being rejected.

Source: ANI