Investigating rising food prices: bananas & sugarcane | For Food's Sake! | Full Episode

Why are fruit prices skyrocketing? Lennard Yeong travels across Southeast Asia to find out how food fads, farm fires, and deadly diseases are costing us our daily serving of fruit.
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ABOUT THE SHOW: What's driving up our food prices? We travel far and wide to uncover shocking stories, surprising factors and unlikely events behind the prices hikes of some of our most loved common food items.
Watch the full series: • For Food's Sake! | Sea...
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[@tarabooartarmy3654]

Farmers work so hard to feed us, and greedy corporations take horrible advantage of them. It’s horrific how little they are paid for literally keeping humanity alive. It’s back-breaking, thankless work. I certainly appreciate all they do for us!

[@dzulsffril]

such an eye opener, hope you guys can continue with this sort of series, the 1st step to solve a problem is always by bringing awareness first

[@sarabeth8050]

Although inflation in Singapore (especially housing) is much worse than 1st world countries, it's not as bad as other 3rd world countries like Venezuela.

[@beezlebub9]

Sarabeth Wong Venezuela is not a good comparison. The government has failed its people and it’s a dictatorship.

[@itsjustdan8699]

They have focused on these food resources as business, its all about making money!!! Our farmers deserves to be recognize.. What an eye opener for everyone to be we'll educated... LOVE FROM THE PHILIPPINES

[@vlado2701]

I'm impressed ! Unique , interesting and helpful video ! When I follow the CNA I learn a lot of new, interesting and useful ! I feel happier ! My heartfelt thanks dear CNA ! Special thanks and my deep respect dear Lennard for his decent and important job !

[@lincolnthinking]

a great job investigation the farm products ~ one omission in this video is the lack of discussion on the impact of salvage values for sugar cane fiber and for banana leaves in uses as separate market products ~

[@patriceortovent6451]

Very enlightening documentary, thanks for this effort, nothing is lost in this world, everything count to abolish capital and its iron fists of private property. It is a world wide concern. Only the people themselves can abolish this obscene situation, it is part and parcel of the class struggle world wide.

[@shadertheboi]

Can CNA do an episode about the price increase of seafood as well; particularly sotong, or squid?

[@admin670]

The problem is that products claim to sell directly from the farmer, are usually much more expensive than the usual supply chain. Not all customers are rich & able to make that choice.

[@CarsSupercars]

Nice documentary by CNA.

[@theHoax100]

26:46 why was the host doing that omg LMAO

[@harumsam9946]

The granpa be like : Bruh

[@Volvo5200]

Come to kelantan. Plenty of sugar cane. Low price and sweet

[@paweesayson1707]

If the importers sign a contract every year, why are landowners tied to a contract price for 15 years? Why aren't they given the new price on a yearly basis?

[@jonathandominico7420]

Philippine government should support our farmers. The Congress need to construct law to protect our farmers

[@joemctaggart3920]

Agreed

[@Jroww2004]

The Banana Companies need to support the Farmers, this is the issue.

[@jackfrost-pw6ie]

ith the banana plantations,if those guys raked the ground underneath the trees,and used an antifungicide like yellow mushrooms or amoxicillin(powder on the ground and directly applicated it to the tree trunks you would eliminate all of the black mold and rot forming,basically killing all of the harmful bacterium that grows and instituting a healthy white mold to protect them,the banana pulley should be angulated( built up decending to the packing plant) so it rolls downhill without having to strain to pull the cut bananas to the packing plant) in about a week or so you would notice the yield and health increase back to advancing standards that you guys had before. Grading the sugarcane plantation(angulating the plantation and building up around the cane trees) would eliminate flooding problems so nothing would have to be cut down early,using locks to open in rainy seasons/times...

[@asianbatman6887]

Indonesia had lot of sugar cane , that very cheap almost like water

[@s._3560]

Brunei bought a ranch in Australia to raise cattle. In order to secure a consistent and low prices of beef for their nation. Why can’t the Singapore government do the same and secure a dairy farm for lower dairy prices for Singapore ? Why is the price of baby milk powder so expensive when the SG government wants its citizens to have more children? Why is milk (including baby milk powder), cheese and yoghurt which are good sources of calcium for children so expensive and STILL subjected to GST? In many countries, basic essentials are exempted from GST. Why are cheaper dairy brands not sold in the major supermarkets? Vietnam has become a large producer of dairy, so why isn’t Singapore importing from such nearby places, other than mostly Australia? Why is cocoa powder so expensive in SG when it is produced in neighbouring Malaysia but sold 2.7 times cheaper in UK’s supermarkets.

[@gad6347]

If farmers are not treated and payed fairly, we as a society will lose food that we love to eat. Pay farmers their fair share.

[@janetday5431]

I think farmers market is the way to go,that way the farmer can set his on price.more room to negotiate.

[@jackfrost-pw6ie]

wn early,using locks to open in rainy seasons/tiwith the banana plantations,if you guys raked the ground underneath the trees,and used an antifungicide like yellow mushrooms or amoxicillin(powder on the ground and directly applicated it to the tree trunks you would eliminate all of the black mold and rot forming,basically killing all of the harmful bacterium that grows and instituting a healthy white mold to protect them,the banana pulley should be angulated( built up decending to the packing plant) so it rolls downhill without having to strain to pull the cut bananas to the packing plant) in about a week or so you would notice the yield and health increase back to advancing standards that you guys had before. Grading the sugarcane plantation(angulating the plantation and building up around the cane trees) would eliminate flooding problems so nothing would have to be cut domes...

[@shylady8711]

I have a strong feeling that this is natures way of telling people that she needs a break. She needs to recover from giving birth to excessive produce. I remember 15 years ago when supplies to fresh produce in our market are limited. You have to be early to get a hold of sugarcane. Its a seasonal treat that we can only get from excess of exported products of farms 6 hours away from my province. And it was not cheap. Now we have a neighbor who has a big garden who sells her limited produce to us. Usually once a week. I think its a sustainable way of life. We buy her seasonal organic excess, her family gets fed without spending much and she gets income to send her family to school. 🇵🇭

[@moorfang]

To be honest, food in Singapore is super cheap when compared to Australia.

[@grumpycyclist6543]

@Kon Thiam Fam rubbish, indigenious australians have more access to government grants and benefits than other race. Indigenious Australians also have lands returned. They are definitely not disadvantage. Standard of living is higher because we get paid more.

[@markxseng9626]

Singapore may claim itself one of the richest countries in the world, but i hate to know that it has to import 90% of its food ,if food price keep on rising what is going to happen

[@TalkToMeInTagalog]

I thought padded carriers at 14:24 are used to protect the farmer's shoulders from bruising 😂 ✌

[@Jroww2004]

Stop signing those Contracts.... PROBLEM SOLVED. This is ridiculous, when I saw the comparison between South America, America and The Philippines, I realize, this is disgusting not OK, I did not expect to watch this for more than a second and watched the entire thing. The handsome man as the host was a big help. Thank you for educating me today and now this is on my mind. Thanks

[@flyinghigh2000]

Easy for you to say since they don't have money to start farming. My grandfather was a farmer and was affected to these contract just for him to afford buying the seed and fertilizer. Normal bank won't loan to farmer. Agri banks normally need government push and investment.

[@jessejamespogoy7557]

The company buy it for 3 dollars per box.. while workers works without ppe

[@m.affiqeizzuan4838]

Didn't know sugar cane is a thing in singapore ....

[@jinsoonchin5205]

Water and electricity price goes by 30 and 10% respectively. This is also one of the main components of prices rises.

[@jeffkingofearth]

end is inevitable unless human give up on greed . all these artificial grow is leading us to our grave

[@benyusof5200]

that chinese sugarcane owner saying there's no sugarcane machine peeler is either ignorant or simply one of those who doesn't like to change .

[@EvilNeon]

I think it's possible, there's a risk of losing too much due to change though so I understand.

[@EvilNeon]

If these farmers could mechanize even the smallest parts, using modern computers and tools. I think it is possible, some choose not to try or risk losing too much.

[@lincolnthinking]

watching the journalist mimic the labor in harvesting the crops is an eye opener for all global consumers ~ where are the state, federal, local government AND the United Nations organizations "real help and hurry up with analysis and resolution" for these farmers, these growers can't fight off an unknown solutions as the disease devastates their globally desirable crops ~ for the sake of farmers and the food chain, contracts need to accommodate ever increasing cost for established pesticides, ground nutrients, health and safety apparatus and fair, decent, wages to sustain a reliable labor force ~

[@jackfrost-pw6ie]

with the banana plantations,if those guys raked the ground underneath the trees,and used an antifungicide like yellow mushrooms or amoxicillin(powder on the ground and directly applicated it to the tree trunks you would eliminate all of the black mold and rot forming,basically killing all of the harmful bacterium that grows and instituting a healthy white mold to protect them,the banana pulley should be angulated( built up decending to the packing plant) so it rolls downhill without having to strain to pull the cut bananas to the packing plant) in about a week or so you would notice the yield and health increase back to advancing standards that you guys had before. Grading the sugarcane plantation(angulating the plantation and building up around the cane trees) would eliminate flooding problems so nothing would have to be cut down early,using locks to open in rainy seasons/times...

[@MrLiquidxIce]

16:00 the companies provide LOANS. normal the price of bananas would have gone up due to falling supply.but the companies force the farmers to sell at a low.farmers make little to no profit. Forcing them to take more loans the interest future cuts into their profit. results in rich get richer poor get poorerso you enter a contract and agree to only sell to a multinational.in return, they give you loans with interest.no wonder the farmers aint making money.

[@tarabooartarmy3654]

Same thing is happening to American farmer’s. Big Ag companies force them to take loans to bring their farms “up to standards”, but the loans come directly from the corporations, which eat up their meager profits. It makes me so angry. 😡

[@marsiling]

It's because the government is NOT DOING ENOUGH to protect the agriculture industry! Coconuts, Bananas, Rice, Sugarcane, Cassava, name it, we have it! But what have we done to improve the situation of our farmers? Not much.

[@wannaberedneckprepper7030]

Remember Banana note??? Now remember Venezuela??? SG salary while its going up, prices for produce also goes up. All is great while people are hired, but the minute they lose that high salary and have to work for less or no income at all??? SG = small pot = nutrients will run out sooner or later. Remember Venezuela.

[@markxseng9626]

When people are hungry and food is too expensive people action can be very unprecedented

[@bayannijuan2747]

Price of 13KG box of banana is around 17USD FOB.

[@littlejourney3178]

You're already in Philippines where sugarcane are abundant aswell...

[@lincolnthinking]

when it comes to growing, harvesting and preparing clean quality produce, migrant laborers become a necessity ~ WHY ? migrants do not steal farm jobs ~ as one farmer owners succinctly states, laboring in the fields of the tropics is just "too hot and "too hard," even for the local farm land born workers, whom once get sufficient education achievements will prefer the clean work and more lucrative careers in white collar jobs ~

[@lincolnthinking]

a lack of data from the multi-national who only provide fix contracts ? perhaps hackers can do good work to shed some light about the price and profit gouging so as to provide a more solid footing for those at the bottom of the production chain to negotiate more fair and decent prices that need to go to the labors and actual farm product growers ~

[@Enkii777]

Here in Holland we have those "Dole" bananas.

[@humpelknuff]

Kein Unterschied zwischen Dole Bananen und Holländischen Wassertomaten.

[@eklim2034]

For F's Sake, I had to watch so long to wait for the answer why the price hike

[@praba991ify]

So what's the reason

[@eklim2034]

Praba Garan 6:52 watch yourself

[@chaoticconqueror]

This is a documentary not an answer and question portion.

[@sunkisscandy9306]

we should buy fresh produce DIRECTLY from the farmers.

[@yengsabio5315]

Can it be easily done in SG? I mean, how many foods (in volume) do you actually produce within SG?

[@sunkisscandy9306]

@@yengsabio5315 i mean not in SG but in those country who's exporting these goods.

[@yengsabio5315]

@@sunkisscandy9306 Copy that. I'm thinking how will that exactly be logistically feasible.

[@umbrellacorporationwuhanfa3731]

In my part of the United States 1lb of bananas is .50¢ That's ALOT of bananas. Really cheap. In fact Walmart sells billions of lbs. Cheapest produce in the States.

[@zahmika4997]

This is really do related to climate changes...

[@rudijl158]

Now we know, our problem in the future is all about food, and importer country just need high quality but they don't know the product is producted.

[@VipinChanders]

You can make the ...dish cup and plate with it. rather than shift to burn it to generate the another business...

[@sdqsdq6274]

lol sugar cane , long ago never drink since price hike

[@lincolnthinking]

someone ought to do a full analysis on increasing fix prices by 25, 50 to 100 percent plus provide increase payments that accommodate ever increasing /periodic higher cost of farm land chemicals and determine the true impact to the bottom line of the food conglomerates who create the purchase contracts ~ stop bleeding the farmers and the laborers who care and harvest the crops ~

[@polkadotsbee6358]

they should protect the workers health because without them who is going to harvest the banana? this is very sad.I think the decease is carried and planted intentionally by competitors outside the country.Panama decease does not came from philippines itself.

[@Bullminator]

If the bananas dont make the money as bananas --- turn them into alcohol. Problem solved.

[@julielowyc8324]

Of course Singapore had no farm all food n thing increase n all r import from others countries including rice chicken flour milk n pork

[@Jroww2004]

I believe what you meant is the price in general for import products such as Products (in this case Bananas) are more expensive in Singapore correct? I believe that's what you meant and I understand Having lived in Thailand, it doesn't produce cherries so they are imported and they are EXPENSIVE (for example 33 dollars (in 2019) for 1.0 pound) Because of this same reason if simply either not being able to grow it(in Thailand's case because of the humid weather) or because they just don't.Singapore seems a little unique in this case; it is also a combination of Importers/Exporters.

[@julielowyc8324]

@@Jroww2004 In Malaysia Banana Rm5 or Rm6 per kilo because Malaysia had banana farm

[@shylady8711]

I'm watching this because of mc lennard young

[@arcencielc2065]

I feel so bad... I will be grateful whenever I eat banana.

[@kujuakusg]

What can a consumer do ?

[@samshah7628]

Buy local. Support local farmers.

[@johncortez3428]

When the contract is over, hopefully the farmers can negotiate for a fair trade.

[@chaoticlife311]

by that time, people would have grown old and cannot work any more, Thus the counter argument would be in typical singaporean language. Can still work meh? Even if mechanisation or rather automation would to be part of the farming. The area is prone to flooding. Remember, sugar requires a large sustain supply of water. Should it rain, the ground would be wet and any and vehicles would suffer getting in the mud. i.e, heavy mech sinks. So yes, people dont know yet but it will be a reality. In just a couple of months. weather patterns are already convincing enough to provide information failures can happen.

[@pinwei2390]

what skills do the sugar cane juice seller require to keep the biz alive.

[@asiantic]

greed of the elite

[@yengsabio5315]

The truth of the matter is that viruses infects faster & even at a small amount in water.

[@cursebr2937]

Why plant in Low lying areas

[@jackfrost-pw6ie]

with the banana plantations,if rhose guys raked the ground underneath the trees,and used an antifungicide like yellow mushrooms or amoxicillin(powder on the ground and directly applicated it to the tree trunks you would eliminate all of the black mold and rot forming,basically killing all of the harmful bacterium that grows and instituting a healthy white mold to protect them,the banana pulley should be angulated( built up decending to the packing plant) so it rolls downhill without having to strain to pull the cut bananas to the packing plant) in about a week or so you would notice the yield and health increase back to advancing standards that you guys had before. Grading the sugarcane plantation(angulating the plantation and building up around the cane trees) would eliminate flooding problems so nothing would have to be cut down early,using locks to open in rainy seasons/times...

[@xinglinjiang4952]

i wonder why don't you import sugarcane from brazil.

[@Chooong7]

Overly ripe cardava bananas are better imho

[@Debeauxsouvenirs]

Thank you for the story behind... bTW the host Mr. YOUNG looks so hot!

[@alunchurcher7060]

demand increases mean the producers can then demand a higher price its economics are its lowest lvl. when demand is low the price drops when demand is high the price increases. there is a maximum price food manufacturers will pay that is measured on its retail cost and what the consumer will eventually pay. as more and more of our food is processed they add many other items to it like salt and sugar plus vitamins and way too many minerals. a lot of our processed food and fresh food is irradiated to help the shelf life of the item. also a lot of out food so called fresh food is bulked up by goop and water this is just profiteering and adds no nutritional value to the food. chicken, turkey meats and fish are the usual targets for this product. try buying a frozen chicken wash is but keep frozen then weigh it. next allow it to fully defrost, once its fully defrosted was it again then weigh it again and see the difference. any difference is just the water trapped within the chicken and added by injection pre-freezing. then calculate via simple maths the cost of the added water you paid for. food costs have to take into consideration many factors such as cleaning, packaging, multiple transporting, then add them to each process in its path to you the end user, each step makes a small profit, the grower/farmer, the wholesaler, then the grocer you buy from. the first step the farmer makes the lowest profit second its the wholesaler, thus the largest profiteer is the market you the end user buys the goods from. this process is extended when the food item is processed by an extra step thus you pay more. processed food is often tasteless and have short shelf lives. its always best to make your own, when cooking an item double the amounts you are cooking, then serve what you are going to use at meal time, then freeze the rest, you then have a quick tastier meal for another day or days. its cheaper for you, but remember certain foods cannot be refrozen so beware of them, check online for each item before re-freezing and consuming. ie: rice, chicken and pasta are pasta are the 3 obvious items which should not be refrozen.

[@rohitkhosla8110]

Largest Bznsna producing country is India. Not Equador. Equador is the largest exporting country. India itself consumes the production and does not export any.

[@ngrobert5054]

ciabi big company

[@putramahkota8980]

The solution is import all things from Indonesia we can supply fruit, vegetables and rice

[@samshah7628]

Quality???

[@putramahkota8980]

@@samshah7628 Of course good quality we have Cavendish Banana and Pandan Wangi Rice and another commodity with lower price

[@silverhairdemon]

People should just grow mostly their own food with the land they have, then this wouldn't be a too big of problem. But people don't wane work in and on the soil anymore, they want to work for corporations and buy food instead.

[@mandarapapa1895]

Lol .growing sugarcane and banana in balconi ....

[@silverhairdemon]

@@mandarapapa1895 Why not? the more food people can grow themselves the less we all need to buy, even on a balcony yes.

[@archird07]

All hail capitalism!

[@MartellThaCool]

Geez good are getting expensive

[@liang2506]

Haze

[@rohitkhosla8110]

It shows how bad India is on exports front. There is excess of sugarcane in India and we font export to a nearby country that we have reasonably close ties with.

[@Thhrhshrgsh]

Where I live in the US, the price of bananas cost about $0.35 a pound

[@xinglinjiang4952]

here it is like $0.35 per piece

[@dwichiesa]

everything in the US is much cheaper... Love Costco and Walmart... Even TJ MAXX is much better than Singapore malls...

[@leponpon6935]

Fishy...

[@zoremsangapachuau2182]

India is no 1 producer of banana in the world it produce 24.86 million 2. China 10.55 million tons 3. Philipines 9.226million tons ,4. Ecuador 7.012Million tons. I think we better do a research before me make an important news like this coz you can feed a untrue news to ya subscriber..

[@Lia3349]

he's so much hot that I cannot read the subtitles. needed to play back and back to read.

[@praba991ify]

Eat something cheaper

[@唬爛嘔嘔]

the host is so hot