The threat of the disappearance of banana plantations in Latin America and the Caribbean due to climate change has raised the question of the prospects for growing this fruit in Russia. Denis Ternovskiy, an expert at the Economic Policy Foundation, assessed the economic rationality of such production in a commentary for Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
“Commercial production based on Russian developments does not make economic sense yet, and it is quite likely that it will not arise. Such developments should be supported as scientific projects or startups, but consumers should not be forced to pay more for one of the most affordable fruits so far, either directly or indirectly, by increasing import duties or direct subsidies for production,” the expert said.