Bananas hide a-peeling secret

May 26, 2023

Frank and Dianne Sciaccia, pictured with daughter Alana, have changed the face — and taste — of bananas.

The humble banana is an Australian food staple, with 93 per cent of households purchasing the fruit and the industry contributing more than $1 billion to the Australian economy annually.

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But many people are unaware of the eco-secret identity of one of the most distinct bananas on supermarket shelves — Perfection Fresh’s Ecoganic red-tip bananas.

Behind their bright red, food-grade wax tip lies decades of world-leading farming innovation and a mission of ecological restoration born from a desire to protect Australia’s natural resources, chief among them being the Great Barrier Reef, located alongside 94 per cent of the country’s banana farms in sunny north Queensland.

Heading into peak Ecoganic red-tip banana supply season, the Aussie mum and dad farming duo behind the world-leading, sustainable Ecoganic farming method are celebrating the fruit of 25 years of biodiversity protection labour.

Frank and Dianne Sciaccia have changed the face — and taste — of bananas and developed farming for the better through their responsible, environmentally-friendly approach.

The humble banana is an Australian food staple, with 93 per cent of households purchasing the fruit. Photo by Honey Atkinson

The red tip signifies that Ecoganic red-tip bananas are produced using the scientific, third-party audited Ecoganic farming method, which combines environmental management systems and sustainable production practices to minimise the impact of farming on the surrounding soil and sea, and help repair the surrounding natural habitat.

“Ecoganic farming is farming with nature,” Frank said.

“Every creature plays a part in our ecosystem and we’ve invited the insects and nature’s other farmers back onto the plantation to work alongside us.

“They’ve brought with them all the natural benefits of farming that’s free from harsh chemicals and fertilisers, which have proven negative long-term impacts on biodiversity.

“And we’re seeing real, tangible results in our product and environment.”

Such positive environmental impact and the Sciaccias’ mission to rebuild and protect Australia’s land and waterways is why their bananas are the only bananas to be endorsed by The Great Barrier Reef Foundation.

It’s a relationship that is also celebrating a huge milestone — 20 years.

And over all those years, a percentage of proceeds from the sale of the Sciaccias’ bananas has been donated to the foundation.

To mark the occasion, the Sciaccias have pledged $10,000 as matched giving for the foundation’s 2023 Plant a Coral Appeal.

Donations to the Plant a Coral Appeal can be made via The Great Barrier Reef Foundation website.

“Over 20 years of partnership we have witnessed Frank’s and Dianne’s passion for ecological restoration and their unwavering commitment to protect our reef through responsible farming,” The Great Barrier Reef Foundation managing director Anna Marsden said.

“It’s inspiring to see Aussie farmers leading such an innovative push to make a difference.”

The Sciaccias say regular audits and monitoring, show many benefits of their approach, including:

– The group has reduced more than 1000 tonnes of carbon from entering the atmosphere (measured using the Queensland Government’s HortCarbon Info carbon calculating system).

– Since 2017, the number of useful insects recorded on monitored sites has almost doubled to more than 150,000. Insects play a vital role in ecosystem diversity, functionality and processes.

– Wildlife biodiversity (for example, wild ducks) is booming. Strong biodiversity can increase agricultural production and can be a sign of a thriving, sustainable farm environment.

– The Ecoganic method more than halves the amount of man-made inputs in crop production on plantations, reducing the impact on Earth's biosphere. It is naturally self-sustaining and regenerative, so the ecosystem can be preserved, restored and perform life-giving ecosystem services.

– It also reduces food waste on the table, which costs Australian households $2000 to $2500 a year. Because the farming method is natural, it is slower than artificially boosted farming that speeds-up growth to maximise output. Due to this slow growth, the bananas have a naturally longer shelf life, so they last longer in the fruit bowl.