Difficult times for banana industry.

DIFFICULT TIMES FOR BANANA INDUSTRY. The banana industry in Grenada will experience some difficult times during the next nine months, due to the damage sustained at the banana field on the River Antoine Estate, reports Caribbean Net News (July 26, 2005). Hurricane Emily with her 90mph winds battered and crippled the crops that were ready to be harvested after after the passage of Hurricane Ivan. General Manager of Estate Bertrand John said with most of the trees being flattened and stocks bent, another export of bananas from Grenada will take another nine months, adding that the next move for the estate is to harvest the remaining bananas that were toppled, to supply the Marketing and National Importing Board for the next few weeks. The estate workers will then engage in rehabilitating the fields. Bananas will now be produced at a reduced rate, therefore importing from St. Vincent is the only alternative.A tour of several farms in St. Andrew, including the River Antoine Estate, revealed that 90% of the bananas planted after Hurricane Ivan have been destroyed.