Banana plantation
Banana plants may grow with varying degrees of success in diverse climatic conditions, but commercial banana plantations are primarily found in equatorial regions, in banana exporting countries. The four leading banana export countries worldwide are Ecuador, Costa Rica, Philippines, and Colombia. Ecuador provides more than 33% of global banana exports. In 2004, banana producing countries totaled 130. Production, as well as exports and imports of bananas, are nonetheless concentrated in a few equatorial countries. 75% of total banana production in 2004 was generated in 10 counties. India, Ecuador, Brazil and China produced half of total bananas. Latin American and Caribbean countries led banana production up to the 1980s, and Asian nations took the lead in banana production during the 1990s. African production levels have remained mostly unchanged.
Black sigatoka
Bananas are a principal crop for people with limited access to other resources, and the decrease in production of the fruit can encroach on their current diet, being that bananas are staple crop in some countries. There is also the possibility that the costs of bananas will rise with the substantial loss of bananas; this will result in a lot of people not being able to afford them. "M. fijiensis" has been found in all regions of the world that are major producers of bananas and is a constraint for these countries; specifically, Africa, Asia, and South America. Black Sigatoka is a very destructive disease to the foliage of banana trees. The disruption in photosynthesis is so severe that it can cause the farmer to lose up to 50% of their fruit yield. The fruits yielded from banana trees infected with Black Streak Leaf can interrupt the ripening of the banana, specifically causing it to “ripen prematurely and unevenly, and as a result becoming unsuitable for export”. A disruption in the maturation of the fruit can lead to a major shift in the economy of the international commerce. 10% of the bananas that are grown are sold to other countries while the other 90% is consumed by the farmers and local communities. Small farmers growing bananas for local markets cannot afford expensive measures to fight the disease. Black Sigatoka of Bananas threatens the fruit’s economy and the lives of the people who depend on the fruit for subsistence.