Description

Rosywood Bananas, the best bananas for everyone in Zimbabwe and the region. They are right at the top of the shopping list for families throughout Manicaland, bananas are at the heart of our produce industry. At Rosywood Mahemu Estate we’re proud of selling more bananas than any other wholesaler and we deliver the very best quality fruit to make sure you’re eating the pick of the bunch every time.

With a huge investment in the infrastructure and complete mechanisation as well as our experience in growing and selling bananas, our 100% family owned and operated farm has seen a lot of changes and challenges. We are a family passionate about banana quality and service, and we’re growing our network of out growers and suppliers to keep bananas available at an accessible price, whatever the weather. Come with us on a banana journey and learn how Rosywood use the best farming techniques, the best ripening, storage and transport technology to deliver this most delicious and nutritious of fruits to your shopping baskets, fruit bowls and lunchboxes.

Rosywood Mahemu Estate use a strict quality inspection process and ripening rooms to select the very best bananas from our premium crops, we guarantee that only the highest quality bananas are sent to our retailers. Every Rosywood Banana carton contains 70-80 bananas, which is very generous.

Each banana is carefully screened for minor defects (such as marks from speckling, sap stains and knife cuts) and major defects (such as neck injury or sunburn) and these are noted on our quality inspection sheet. To meet our quality standards, major defects must be under 4% (3 bananas or less per carton) and minor defects under 10% (less than 7 bananas or less per carton). That means for every carton we pack, at least 86% of the bananas will be guaranteed perfect and unmarked. Thus, exceeding industrial and setting Rosywood Bananas as the standard bearer.

Types of bananas

Williams

Williams was imported from Australia, and released in South Africa mainly to eliminate the problem of choke throat in cold winters
Typical bunch characteristics are:

1. Cylindrical bunch shape
2. No compaction of hands
3. Longer straight fingers
4. Higher pack out of extra-large fruit from each bunch

Williams has a distinct advantage in that it is more resilient than its main rival, Grand Nain, and performs better than Grand Nain when soil and/or climatic conditions are sub-optimal or extreme

Grand Nain

In the 1980’s and early 1990’s, the Cavendish cultivar Grand Nain was imported to South Africa from Central America

Cycle time and plant height of Grand Nain is shorter than Williams

Typical bunch characteristics are:

1. Bunches are slightly heavier
2. Fingers are a good size and slightly curved

Grand Nain is generally regarded as the most widely-grown Cavendish dessert cultivar in both tropical and subtropical localities

Asdia

Rosywood get this type from Du Roi, South Africa. Du Roi has worked for 7 years improving the production characteristics of Williams and Asdia is a horticulturally-superior selection of this cultivar, obtainable exclusively from Du Roi laboratory

Advantages of Asdia over Williams:

1. 10% shorter plant
2. Bunch sizes easier to manage
3. Bunch conformation and finger length conserved
4. Cycle time 1-2 months shorter

Ideal selection for high yield/annum, good fruit quality and ease of management, in both sub-tropical and tropical environments

Nandi

Rosywood get this type from Du Roi. Nandi is a single clone, elite Du Roi selection of Grand Nain

Advantages of Nandi over Grand Nain:

1. 5% shorter plant
2. Higher yielding bunches
3. Cycle time up to 1 month shorter

An ideal selection for maximum yields and quality where soil and management conditions are optimal

Grand Negra

Grand Negra is a single clone, elite Du Roi selection

Characteristics of Grand Negra:

1. Tall, vigorous selection
2. Big bunches with long peduncles making bunch more accessible
3. A longer cycling selection
4. Very stable in the soil under windy conditions

A good selection for maximum yields and quality where soil and management conditions are optimal

Chico

Chico is a Du Roi improved, high-yielding clone of Chinese Cavendish

Characteristics of Chico are:

1. Cylindrical bunch shape
2. Shorter plant than Grand Nain, but with similar productivity
3. Short cycling selection boosting the annual yield potential

Should be planted under optimal conditions of climate, soil and management

Delta

Delta is a Du Roi selected clone of Dwarf Cavendish

Characteristics of Delta are:

1. Cylindrical bunch shape
2. Taller and higher yielding than standard Dwarf Cavendish
3. More tolerant to choke-throat than standard Dwarf Cavendish
4. Sturdy thick pseudostem may not require propping
5. Short cycling selection
6. Easily managed and more tolerant to windy conditions
7. Suitable selection for centre pivot irrigation systems

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