Bananas are among the cheapest fruits around. How did an imported luxury item become a cheap American staple? In part, it's in part a story of economies of scale. The economic value generated by the banana industry is some 52 billion. There are 400 million people that rely on bananas for a staple food or a staple source of income.
The banana, once a luxury good, rose to become America’s favorite fruit. Now a deadly fungus threatens to wipe it out. Can it be saved?