Bananas, sent via a Trans-Canada Airlines plane, signify the first time since the suspension of the "Lady Boats" shipping service that Jamaican bananas have reached the Canadian market. Despite the high air freight costs, Mr. Pitoscia, who oversees a company handling 300,000 to 400,000 pounds of bananas weekly, believes that the venture can be profitable. The Mel-o-Ripe Banana Co. aims to ripen the fruit in Canada and distribute it to Toronto and other Canadian households within 72 hours of cutting and shipping, enhancing its business operations. This initiative, spurred by the Jamaica Industrial Development Corporation's office in Toronto, underscores the collaborative efforts to revive Jamaican banana exports to Canada.

Published Thursday, January 17,1963

Three shipments a week planned …

5 Tons of bananas flown to Canada

Gleaner Farm Desk

A shipment of about five tons of bananas (approximately 200 stems) was flown for the first time to Canada yesterday in what promises to be a reopening of the Canadian market to Jamaican bananas.

The shipment was made by Mr. Antonio Pitoscia of Toronto, Canada, general manager of the Mel-o-Ripe Banana Co.

Mr. Pitoscia, who came to Jamaica to make arrangements for the fruit and supervise the initial shipment, said at Palisadoes Airport that he planned to take three shipments a week.  Provided arrangements could be completed, he planned that future shipments should be bigger than yesterday’s.

The fruit went by a Trans-Canada Airlines plane, which took off shortly before 6 p.m.  Mr. Pitoscia went on it.

It was the first time since suspension of the “Lady Boats” shipping service between Canada and the West Indies that bananas from this island have gone to the Canadian market.

The caro-freight rate between Kingston and Toronto is about 12 cents  per lb or well over £90 a ton.  Asked how he was able to pay this rate, pay for the fruit, and still make a profit after meeting other handling charges, Mr. Pitoscia replied that he had worked it all out and found that despite the high cost of air freight, the venture could still be profitable.

He explained that he hoped to be able to secure lower airfreight rates when shipments started going regularly.

The Mel-o-Ripe Banana Co-owned and operated by three Pitoscia brothers, has been in existence over 40 years.  It handles between 300,000 and 400,0001b of bananas every week (between 150 and 200 short tons) and is currently looking forward to expanded business.

Fruit flown from Jamaica to this organisation is to be ripened in Canada.  It is planned to place ripened fruit in the hands of Toronto and other Canadian housewives within 72 hours of cutting and shipping.

IDC initiative

Mel-o-ripe supplies 140 supermarkets and plans to increase the number.  Mr. Pitoscia will be back in the island as soon as the handling of this initial shipment has been completed.

Yesterday’s fruit was brought through the Banana Board, which had it wadding-wrapped for the six-hour plane journey to the city of some 2,000,000.

Mr. Pitoscia’s interest in securing bananas to keep his organisation going was directed to Jamaica by Mr. Danny Powell of the Jamaica Industrial Development Corporation’s office in Toronto on the initiative of the Canadian I.D.C. office. Mr. Pitoscia was sent to the main offices here in Kingston from where Mr. Cecil Abrahams of the Industrial Services section helped him to make the necessary contacts.

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