“Fruits à croquer”, a series to be found on our site

They appear in many children's nursery rhymes, on our stalls and plates, but also in the headlines. This summer, Courrier International invited you to discover, through a selection of articles from the foreign press, the portrait of emblematic fruits that tell the story of our times, its issues and challenges, from the globalization of trade to the decline of biodiversity, including the quest for healthy, locally produced foods.

A six-episode summer series:

Episode 1 - Can we still save the banana?

Around the world, the most widely eaten banana is the Cavendish. This variety was a boon to the banana industry until, on every continent, a fungus began to devastate plantations one by one. Die Zeit Magazin , the glossy supplement of the German weekly Die Zeit, asks: should we say goodbye to this fruit as we know it?

Episode 2 - With Maine's "pear explorers," in search of forgotten varieties

In the U.S. state of Maine, enthusiasts are trying to recover pear varieties developed by early European settlers that are now virtually extinct. Their weapons: a keen sense of observation and, if necessary, genetic testing. A report from the Portland Press Herald .

Episode 3 - The avocado, the fruit that tells the story of the 21st century

By 2030, it will be the world's best-selling fruit. Omnipresent on social media, the avocado offers a summary of our globalized societies, from the obsession with healthy lifestyles to the climate crisis, from the grip of the mafia to the customs battles launched by Donald Trump, explains the Spanish weekly El País Semanal.

Episode 4 - Once upon a time there were Karakoram apricots

How have people managed to survive for centuries on the steep slopes of northern Pakistan? A team of German-Pakistani researchers believes they have found the beginnings of an explanation in local tales featuring the apricot, explains the German magazine Die Zeit.

Episode 5 - Colombia, a fruit paradise in the midst of a culinary revolution

Coconut, star fruit, papayuela, coroso, lulo... Colombia is like a vast Garden of Eden, boasting more than 2,500 varieties of fruit, many of which have names unfamiliar in our latitudes. Since the end of the armed conflict in 2016, producers, consumers, and restaurateurs have been rediscovering this rich heritage, sparking a buzz on the culinary scene, reports El País Semanal.

Episode 6 - Sicily, the new El Dorado of tropical fruits

Mangoes, bananas, papaya, coffee... No, you're not in Central America, but in Sicily. For several years now, the Italian island has been abandoning vineyards and citrus fruits for tropical crops. Surprisingly, climate change isn't the only culprit, reports the Italian daily Il Sole-24 Ore.