The banana bunchy top virus has killed 3,000 plants at the KwaNyuswa Agricultural Farm since February 2025. The community-owned farm is reeling from a R500,000 revenue loss, threatening the livelihoods of 103 indirect beneficiaries.
KwaZulu-Natal is affectionately known as "kwelikabhanana" because bananas are one of the most abundant fruits in the province, especially on the coast. The fruit is the bread and butter of the Roselands community in Ramsgate.
Bananas are the star crop and an income earner for the 25ha KwaNyuswa Agricultural Farm. The farm's major stakeholder is the Roselands community trust, which has 103 indirect beneficiaries. The farm was reclaimed in 2008.
Even though the farm has been a success story, it now faces yield losses owing to a destructive viral disease known as Bunchy top, which affects banana and plantain plants and is caused by the banana bunchy top virus (BBTV).
The virus has killed 3,000 plants at the farm since February 2025, resulting in a R500,000 revenue loss.
The most common symptoms include stunted growth and a "bunched" appearance of new leaves, which are often more upright and narrower than usual. Infected plants rarely produce fruit, leading to significant yield loss, and the virus is...
