Subtropical bananas will be in the lunchboxes of the competitors in the New South Wales Surf Life Saving Championships at Kingscliff this week.
Subtropical bananas are grown extensively in the Tweed and surrounding regions and the Tweed District Growers Association is donating more than 50 cartons of bananas for competitors.
Tweed Districts Banana Growers Association President Robert Pierce said the growers were delighted to provide the fruit to support the championships.
“There isn’t a better natural energy food for the nippers and the open competitors than bananas grown in our region.
“We are also confident that once they taste the fuller, sweeter flavor of the subtropical bananas they will realise that we grow some of the best tasting bananas in Australia,” he said.
The banana industry in New South Wales, which is represented by growers in the Tweed and Coffs regions of New South Wales, has begun a campaign to promote the difference in the flavour of subtropical bananas from those grown in the tropics of far north Queensland.
“While big on flavour and a little sweeter, our bananas are often a little smaller, making them more popular as a snack food for children, according to many mums we speak to,” Mr Pierce added.
Apart from donating bananas to fuel competitors, the subtropical banana industry will have a marquee on the beach at the Championships, providing free tastings and local bananas for sale at great prices.
The north coast of New South Wales used to be the premier banana-growing district of Australia, before far north Queensland became the major district around 20 years ago. There were many banana farms right through the region, from Tweed Heads down to Nambucca Heads.
The number of farms is now greatly reduced, but there are still banana farmers supplying local outlets, markets and the major wholesalers in capital cities with subtropical bananas.
“Both Lady Finger bananas and the most popular Cavendish bananas are grown throughout the region, but it is with the Cavendish bananas that the taste difference is more distinct.
“It is believed that because the bananas take longer to grow and mature in the subtropics that the flavour and sweetness develop more,” Mr Pierce said.
