As mentioned in The Wall Street Journal, “the wholesale cost of the world’s most popular fruit went bananas in the early part of this year,” notes Grumpy Editor.
Despite the squeeze, U.S. supermarkets are holding the line on prices of the yellow-skin fruit, top seller.
The development bypasses most print and broadcast news editors.
Americans eat about 11.4 pounds of bananas a year, according to the Department of Agriculture. That places bananas better sellers than apples or oranges.
Limited supplies in Central and South America, which supply most bananas sold in the U.S., boost prices paid by markets to a record in the first quarter.
Wholesale banana prices increase 15.5 percent to about 58 cents a pound in the January-February period. With improvement in supplies, prices slip somewhat in March but are 8.4 percent higher than the like year-ago month.
Banana crop yields, notes The Journal, are affected by floods, cooler temperatures and mudslides in areas such as Costa Rica and Guatemala. Also contributing to a shortage: a banana plantation workers strike in Honduras.
IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…
DAILY MESSAGES FOCUS ON CHILD ABUSE. In connection with National Child Abuse Prevention Month, veteran author Morgan St. James, who co-authored attention-getting books on abuse survivors Bella Capo (No More Crying Angels) and Cheryl Cuccio (Incest, Murder and a Miracle) is producing daily YouTube messages on abuse during April. Check this one at: https://youtu.be/KA_JCiDOiHs. Incidentally, her four-minutes on-camera are wrapped up in one take --- without notes or cue cards.
TERRESTRIAL RADIO SHOW ORIGINATOR DIES. Art Bell, originator of the long-time paranormal-themed Coast to Coast AM overnight radio show that airs seven nights a week, died Friday at his Pahrump, Nev. home. He was 72. Bell left the show, in which he was producer, engineer and host, in 2003. Current host most nights is George Noory.
EARTH FALLS FLAT WITH SOME MILLENNIALS. A third of young U.S. millennials --- 18 to 24-year olds --- aren’t convinced the Earth is round, finds a national poll by YouGov, a British market research firm. Four percent of young adults in that age group answer they always believed the planet is flat while 66 percent of millennials say they “always believe the world is round.”
CBO NOTES BENEFIT OF TAX CUT. Points out a Wall Street Journal editorial: “You probably didn’t read anywhere else that CBO (Congressional Budget Office) says the tax cut will help the economy grow faster --- to 3.3 percent this year and 2.4 percent in 2019.”
FLORIDA HAS RICHEST ZIP CODE IN U.S. The richest zip code --- 33109 --- in America is 216-acre Fisher Island, near Miami. Accessible only by ferry or water taxi, average income was $2.5 million in 2015. Residents represent more than 50 nationalities, and professions range from professional athletes and supermodels to executives and lawyers.
PODCASTS GROWTH MUSHROOMS. There are half a million podcasts now in more than 100 languages on Apple iTunes, according to Variety.
NETFLIX UPS PRODUCTION OUTPUT. Netflix is spending $8 billion on original and acquired content this year.
SOON --- NO CREDIT CARD SIGNATURES. Major credit card companies will end signature requirements for credit card transactions starting in some parts of the nation late this month. All states eventually will be covered. Since all new credit and debit cards have the more secure chip technology, and since different retailers have different price thresholds that require signatures, the signing requirement is being scrapped without affecting security.
AIR PASSENGERS DESTINED FOR CARGO HOLDS. In a bid to boost passenger comfort, Airbus plans to put passenger sleeping facilities in the cargo holds of A330 aircraft. The company plans to make compartments easily interchangeable with regular cargo containers.
CITY OF ANGELS TURNING STREETS WHITE. Los Angeles is in a program of painting streets white to reduce the effect of urban heat islands and combat effects of climate change. Early tests show the procedure reduces roadway temperature up to 10 degrees. While each coating can last up to seven years, it’s also pricey, with an estimated cost of $40,000 a mile, reports the Los Angeles Daily News.
