Bananas, known in Thai as kluay, have won an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most consumed fruit in the world. It may be truer in Thailand than anywhere else, since Thai people from ancient times have owed their growth and well-being to bananas fed them when they were babies. Bananas are widely available and easy to eat, so much so that the phrase “kluay kluay” is synonymous with a simple task, something “as easy as pie.”

Bananas and Their Odyssey
Bananas, or Musa sapientum Linn., originated in the tropical climes of South and Southeast Asia, primarily in southern India, southern China, the Malay Peninsula, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Borneo. Its journey has taken myriad forms as well. Before the time of Christ, young banana plants were brought from India as gifts to the Greeks, the Arabs, and the Egyptians. Arabian traders took them even further, to Europe and West Africa. Moving in the other direction, migrants from South Asia in early Christian times carried banana plants to islands in the Pacific in their flight from armed conflicts and hardship. The world voyage of the humble banana continued over the centuries that followed. In the year 1402, when Portugal sent its armada to capture the Canaries, banana plants were brought to the islands along with slaves from Guinea. Bananas from the Canaries made their way to the New World in 1516, brought by missionaries after the discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus. And back in Thailand, the banana is considered a native plant, thriving in all parts of the country since the Sukhothai Period, more than seven centuries ago.

Bananas are known under a dizzying variety of names. They are called vudi in Fiji and musa by the Arabs, to give only a few examples. The word “banana” actually comes from a West African word, banena, and it was widely propagated throughout the world by Portuguese traders who were active in Africa. The planting of the banana as an economic plant quickly spread in the 19th century.

Interesting Banana Varieties in Thailand

There are more than 50 varieties of banana in Thailand. Four of them are cited as economic fruits for their distinctive features and taste.

HOM THONG (Gros Michel) is similar to the Cavendish, but with a finer skin, and it is aromatic and sweet tasting. It is grown abundantly in the central region, in Bangkok, Pathum Thani, and the neighboring provinces. It is exported to Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, and Europe. The organic, toxin-free hom thong is the latest craze.

KLUAY KHAI (Pisang mas), a small, exotic banana that is becoming much sought after among foreign buyers. Apart from its small size, attractive bunch, and sweet taste, its orange-beige color is highly appreciated. It is grown in Kampaengpetch and Phetchaburi provinces. The major export market is Singapore.

KLUAY NAMWA (Pisang awak) is probably the most familiar to Thais, for whom it was an essential source of nourishment in their childhood. It is high in vitamins and good for the intestines and digestive system. All parts of the plant can be utilized. The Thai people eat the fruit and cook it as a sweetmeat, or khanom, in assorted ways. It can also be sun-dried or grilled over charcoal. Kluay namwa can also be an ingredient in or accompany Thai dishes. It is grown in all regions of the country.

KLUAY LEB MEU NANG is a delicacy of the South. It has become widely popular for its miniature size, fine shape, and sweet taste. It acquired its name from its peculiar shape, resembling a lady’s manicured fingernails.

Bananas for a New Generation
Scientific discoveries have not passed over the field of food and nutrition. Modern improvements in food preservation and processing can also be seen in the handling of bananas in Thailand.

Organic Bananas
In 1991, a project came into being at Tha Yang District in Phetchaburi Province, known as the Organic Hom Thong Banana Project. It grew out of cooperation between the Trading Cooperatives of Thailand and the Tohto Tokyo Consumer Cooperatives Society, with close supervision provided from the beginning by the Phytopathological Group of the Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. The brand name “Hom Thong Banana” was created with the objective to produce toxin-free golden bananas for export to Japan, targeting the health-conscious Japanese consumers who insist on natural agricultural practice and chemical-free products.

The production process starts with the selection of healthy young banana plants. The replanted trees are then given extra special care. After the flowering period of 25 to 30 days, the bunches are cut and wrapped in blue plastic for protection from pest and insects. They are then cleaned and inspected, and packed for export to Japan. No chemicals are used in any stage of the process

At present, about 1,500 rai, or 600 acres of land, is devoted to the project, and the export volume is about 50 to 60 tons a month. The expansion of markets and production area is likely in the near future, as more and more people have shown a real interest in natural agriculture. Also, Tohto officials, who have inspected banana quality around the world, affirm that Thai golden bananas are the best in taste and quality. In Thailand, the bananas are offered for guests at the Oriental, Sofitel Central Plaza, and J.W. Marriot hotels, and on board Thai Airways International.

The Processed Banana Project
His Majesty the King of Thailand has expressed his wish to see Thailand turned into one of the world’s food centers. The prospect is bright, as Thailand has always been an agrarian land, with a tradition of accumulated expertise and constant development.

The Processed Banana Project has spun off from the Chulabhorn Institute, thanks to the achievements it made. It is now under the supervision of General Pichit Kullavanija, a Privy Councillor.

The project not only aims at effective marketing of the products, but also aims to develop and improve the livelihood of agriculturists, through technology transfer, produce processing and food conservation, adding value to the produce and lifting the people’s income. Farm wives groups are the producers, with finished products placed on sale at the shops opened for the purpose by the Project, including the Royal Project Pavilions, the SUPPORT Arts and Craft Center at Bang Sai, the Doi Kham Food Products Company Limited, and the Lemon Farm Cooperatives.

In the two years since the establishment of the Processed Banana Project in 1999, success can clearly be seen. And it all started with the small farm wives group at Ratcha-at District in Chachoengsao Province.

Banana chips are made and sent to Japan, with a turnover of several hundred thousand baht a month. The Project plans to expand the markets to markets such as China and India, and to process bananas in other forms to diversify the products.

Today the products include banana chips, banana jam, banana sambal, three-taste banana, banana paste, and banana jelly, all marketed under the name Nam Wa.

Apart from such major projects as joint undertakings between government agencies and the private sector, there are individual projects like the Phan Wa banana chips in three flavors: paprika, barbecue, and cheese.

Also, the sterilized, sun-dried banana, an improved version of Kluay Tak, is available. Canned banana in syrup can also be made into various traditional Thai sweetmeats. For hair care, there is a shampoo and conditioner made of hom thong bananas by the Oriental Princess Company. Such products are examples of the new use of banana, based on the modern concept, “back to basics.”

Today, now that the banana has spread around the world, it has come to the end of its journey proper, but the reinvention of the banana to suit the tastes of human beings has no limit. The story of the banana is a never-ending one, but it’s simple as kluay, naturally.