March 22nd, 2010

From Green Right Now Reports

Who knew that the process of harvesting and packing bananas was a water-intensive process?

Apparently, a lot of water is used to hold the fruit until it is selected for packing. But Dole Food Company, Inc., the world’s largest producer and marketer of fresh fruit and vegetables, and the biggest producer of organic bananas, has announced a pilot project in Costa Rica that reduces water use by more than 80 percent and cuts energy use in half.

The company’s Standard Fruit de Costa Rica division developed a completely new method of harvesting and selecting banana that brought these tasks closer to the field. The new chain of operations cut out holding time inbetween the picking and packing of the bananas, reducing the water and energy requirements of the process, according to Dole, which is based in Westlake Village, Calif.

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