Latin America's all-important banana export industry is so concerned by the spread of Panama disease, that it moved this week's International Banana Congress from Costa Rica to Miami at the last minute, so that attendees wouldn't transport the disease to the region with the contaminated dirt on their shoes. Latin America is the primary source of bananas for North America and Europe
"Panama disease" or "Fusarium wilt" -- has already spread from Asia to parts of Australia, Africa and the Middle East. It specifically affects the Cavendish banana, which is the fruit that consumers in the West are accustomed to eating.
