Previous                 Philately Goes Bananas                 Next Libya According to 2021 statistics from FAO, Libya produced 15 tonnes of bananas ranking 120th in the world behind Tokelau and before Cook Islands. The arid climate does not lend itself to large scale commercial production. The Fascist administration in the 1920s and 1930s deliberately structured its African territories to produce specific, non-competing goods. Italian colonists set up massive banana plantations in Italian Somaliland and the Italian government formed the Royal Banana Monopoly (RAMB) to control, ship, and heavily market these bananas directly back to the Italian public. In Italian Libya the focus was on Mediterranean crops. Instead of exporting bananas, Libya actually imported Somali bananas through Italy's commercial network. Delegations and products from Italy's overseas colonies (such as Italian Somaliland and Eritrea) showcased agricultural goods and traditional crafts at the fair so the schene depicted on Libya's "Banana Stamp" is likely from Somaliland. Date of Issue: February 20, 1930 Design: "Harvesting Bananas" Series: Fourth Sample Fair Tripoli Semi-Postals Previous                                                Next Return to the Banana Stamps from Around the World Index Page.