Why Banana Availability Can Vary So Much
Organics Unlimited grows most of the organic bananas in Mexico. We chose the location of our farms based on its fertile soil, abundant rainfall and warm climate. However, like any area that is good for growing, there is risk based on weather issues. For us, it is usually tropical storms, including strong winds, heavy rains and hurricanes, but it can also be below normal temperatures. This year in southern Mexico we have seen damage due to strong winds, and we have been in the path of several hurricane force tropical storms. We’d like you to understand a bit of what this can mean for us and for you as a distributor or retailer. Read more
USDA Expands Organic Sales Tracking
Organics don’t dominate in the fresh produce aisle, but produce is by far the leading organic food category with 43% of organic food sales in 2012 being fresh fruits and vegetables, according to the Nutrition Business Journal.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture cited the journal’s statistics in its “Organic Market Overview” earlier this year. The government agency does not track sales of all organic commodities, but relies on industry and academia to provide some statistics on organic sales. Read more
Organic Crops Have Significantly More Antioxidants, Study Finds
An international study led by the University of Newcastle in the U.K. has found a diet of organic food can provide antioxidants that are equivalent to 1-2 extra portions of fruit and vegetables per day.
A release from the university said the meta-analysis looked at 343 studies into the differences between organic and conventional crops, and found that the former can have 18-69% more antioxidants such as polyphenolics than the latter. Read more
