Bent bananas

With the banana crop in Australia devastated, one would have thought that, while banana prices might rise somewhat, they would be available over the next year. Not so! There is a ban on imports of bananas, so they won't be available for nine months. And why would the ban continue? Apparently, the risk of exotic pests.

The government's reaction is that we can do without. Now, isn't that interesting? Parents would know that we can constantly fed a line of the importance of bananas for childhood health and nutrition. They are 'near critical brain food.' The line is fed by Banana Growing Associations as well as governments around the country.

So what is it? Do we need to buy a banana a day for our children or not? If not, then I guess Federal Agriculture Minister, Peter McGauran, is right when he says that: "People will have to understand that their unsatisfied yearnings for bananas are infinitesimal ..." But, if so, then a responsible government surely has to find a way to overcome the supply problem. Perhaps we need to stockpile dried fruit in the future.

This time I don't think you can bend (!) the truth and have it both ways.