Growers in Innisfail and the Cassowary Coast face significant losses, but banana prices are not expected to rise sharply.
Cyclone Niran has wreaked havoc on banana crops in far-north Queensland, particularly around Innisfail and the Cassowary Coast, where growers are left in despair. The cyclone, which intensified off the Queensland coast, caused extensive damage, especially to banana trees, as gale-force winds stripped them bare.
While Cyclone Niran was not expected to make landfall, it intensified to a category two storm, with sustained winds of 100km/h and gusts reaching 140km/h. As of Wednesday, the storm was 335km northeast of Cairns, with a warning for gale-force winds stretching from Cape Melville to Innisfail.
The storm caused significant disruptions in the region, with about 4,000 people left without power. However, the initial damage caused by the storm, especially earlier on Monday when Niran pushed damaging winds ashore, had affected nearly 42,000 homes.
Despite the destruction of crops, experts predict that banana prices will not skyrocket, offering some relief to consumers.
