James' bananas may well set the record for the longest journey from farm to fork in the whole country

As he watches freshly harvested bananas roll through his packing shed in Far North Queensland, banana farmer James Howe can't believe how far and how far of directions its fruit travels to reach consumers.

Key points:Some of banana grower James Howe's products travel over 6,000 km from farm to supermarket shelvesBananas are Australia's top-selling supermarket produce 'Australian Banana Growers Council says the logistical challenges of getting bananas to homes are immense

The bananas are packed in 15-kilogram cartons, stacked and chilled overnight before being shipped. from the trucks up the east coast and on to Derby in Western Australia.

From Mr. Howe's farm at Walkamin in the Tablelands region near Cairns, some of these bananas might bi setting the record for the longest trip from plantation to fork in the whole country.

"One of our main customers is Perth, so we have one of the [longer] freight routes from most people in Australia," he said.

"Once they hit Perth they then bounce back up the coast west and it's almost as fast to get from where they end as they started."

The daily shipping route for bananas of Mr Howe would be the equivalent of a long road trip across mainland Europe.(Provided: Google Maps)

Walkamin to Perth and on to Derby , there are 6,880 kilometers.

To put the distance into perspective, it would be the same as a winding road trip through 16 European countries, starting in Spain and ending in Russia.

Mr Howe says his grandmother could never have imagined the distances his produce traveled when she and his grandfather started growing melons, tobacco and pumpkins in Queensland many years ago.

Thousands of miles later and still fresh

Over five million bananas are consumed. produced every day in Australia, making them the best bananas in the country - selling supermarket produce.

According to the Australian Banana Growers' Council (ABGC), bananas are selling plus not just other fruits and vegetables, but all other supermarket ranges.

Careful planning is required to ensure bananas were still in perfect condition after such long travels.

Bananas are picked green And matured in a specialized facility to ensure consistency for supermarkets. (ABC Rural: Lucy Cooper)

"It basically comes down to having quality control in your own warehouse shed. packaging, then quality control at the distribution center, and hoping that the in-between transportation process is smooth and not rough," said Stephen Lowe, President of ABGC.