THE high price of bananas hasn’t stopped Tweed residents from celebrating its banana growing history.

The Tweed Valley Banana Festival still had plenty of bananas for fritters, custard or just to give away on the street despite prices around $12/kg at major supermarkets.

Banana Festival secretary Carol Mudge said the festival went through “a lot” of bananas, but they were all supplied by farmers in the Tweed.

“There are not as many farmers as there used to be, but bananas go hand in hand with our history,” Ms Mudge said.

“History plays a large part in our festival.

“The banana theme is still relevant and it’s still good to be supporting local growers.”

Chillingham banana grower Kevin Gilbert said he supplied the shops around Murwillumbah.

Mr Gilbert has 35 acres of banana plants in Chillingham.

“There is probably only about four to five growers in my part of the valley,” Mr Gilbert said.

“The reason grower numbers were declining was just economics. It costs $3/kg to cover costs and they are usually sold below that in shops.

“This (higher prices) is just a bump in the road and won’t get more farmers planting bananas.”

Mr Gilbert said his crop only went to the shops in the area. “I sent one pallet away after the cyclone when agents were pestering me for them,” he said.

Tweed Fruit Exchange owner Maree Pouloudis said she sold bananas from the Tweed. “People are still buying bananas even at the higher prices.”.

“People are still buying bananas even at the higher prices.”