HISTORIC BANANA INDUSTRY

The banana industry grew out of the need for bananas in Australia in the mid 1920s.  A disease called ‘bunchy top’ had destroyed banana production in the New South Wales and Queensland plantations.

Demand and prices rose sharply which led to a rapid increase in the amount of land on Norfolk Island devoted to growing bananas. Unfortunately the industry was affected by shipping problems – the ships’ holds were not ventilated properly and they also often took too long to get to Sydney, resulting in the bananas arriving ‘cooked’ so they could not be sold.

By the early 1930s the boom was over.  The Australian growers had been able to re-establish their plantations.  The Great Depression, beginning in late 1929 meant that people could not afford to buy fruit so demand and prices fell.  This made it uneconomic to ship bananas from Norfolk Island.

Bananas at Cascade, ready for export to New Zealand 1925

Daa Plan Indastri

Daa plun industri groe fram aa niid fe gata plan iin Ostrielya iin dem mid 1920s.  Wan disiis korl et ‘banchi top’ bin destroi dems plan prodakshan iin dem Nyuu Sauth Wiels ena Kwiinslaen plaentieshans.

Demaand ena prais rais shaapli en es wathen  liid gen wan faas inkriis iin daa amaunt o’ laen orn Norfuk Ailen se plant et fe groe de plan. Anfortyunetli daa indastri se afekted bai prohblams longfe shepen – daa sheps hoel nor se venteliet et prohpa en samtaim el tek tuu lorng fe get gen Sidni, meken dem plan arraiw deya se  ‘kuk’ en dem kaa sel et.

Bai dem erli 1930s daa buum se oewa.  Dem Ohstrielyan groewas bin el  riiestablish dems plaentieshans.  Daa Griet Depreshan, wathen begen iin liet 1929 miin salan kaa aford fe bai de fruut soe demaand ena prais forl wieh.  Dieh miek et anekohnohmik fe shepa plan fram Norfuk Ailen.

Plan aet Kaaskied, se redi fe eksport gen Nyuu Siilan 1925