On: What’s Wrong with Bananas (2018)

[2ICofafireteam]

It depends on your benchmark.

I have nothing to cite but, just based on their ubiquity, I would bet $5 against the hole in a bagel that Cavendish bananas produce more per acre than any other variety.

[JohnFen → 2ICofafireteam]

I think the reason Cavendish is the main crop is because it can survive shipping and handling well. Most varieties of bananas can't.

[Scoundreller → JohnFen]

And some of that Cavendish preference is strictly cosmetic. Some varieties will blemish easily but still taste great inside for a while, while Cavendish blemishing means you’ve got 1-2 days tops to consume it.

[JohnFen → Scoundreller]

Yes.

Also also, Cavendish is a "dessert banana". Most banana varieties are more like plantains -- they're savory and are usually cooked.

[linuxftw → JohnFen]

Shipping, and relatedly, it will mature somewhat after picking. I suspect, much like a tomato, the closer you pick it to ripe, the better it actually is.