KIDAPAWAN CITY, (PNA) –- Banana Industry stakeholders in Region 12 today vowed to maintain the region as Mindanao’s leading producer of lakatan banana sold mostly in local markets.
These products are sold mostly in Metro Manila and Cebu, according to Department of Agriculture 12 Regional Executive Director Amalia Jayag-Datukan.
In a recent banana Congress in Gen. Santos City, some 300 banana growers in Mindanao vowed to push for the advancement of banana industry in the region.
The business sector-led event aimed to bolster massive support from partners and other stakeholders as well as present various issues and concerns currently faced by the industry.
They all come from SOCCSKSARGEN region which is composed of the provinces of North and South Cotabato, Saranggani, Sultan Kudarat and the cities of Cotabato, Kidapawan, Koronadal, Tacurong and Gen. Santos.
Datukan lauded the efforts of the banana industry sector for standing united to beat the odds that affect them.
Datukan described banana as one of the priority commercial crops of the department’s high value crop development program (HVCDP) poised to help “support countryside development and achieve inclusive growth.”
SOCCSKSARGEN is the third largest producer of banana in the country accounting for some 15 percent of the entire Mindanao’s banana produce, according to the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS).
North Cotabato province has the highest number of hectares planted to banana with 15,367 hectares and 644 metric tons production.
South Cotabato comes next with 8,680 hectares and 261,972 MT while Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat settled for third and fourth with 3,670 ha and 219,067 MT and 2,234 hectares and 29,521 MT, respectively.
“Presently, Soccsksargen produces substantial volumes for other banana varieties such as cardaba which is being processed into banana chips and exported to major foreign markets,” DA-12 corn program coordinator Zaldy Boloron, said speaking for Datukan.
DA-12 HVCDP coordinator Danilo Centillas cited the importance of the congress describing it as a good venue to present the challenges that beset the whole industry in Mindanao.
Congress chair Ecclesiastes Roque also considered the event the right forum to exchange among major stakeholders various updates, best practices, and even simple information regarding the industry they belong to.
Five key issues have been identified by the industry stakeholders, which according to them, must be given priority to advance the region’s desire to remain as the leading banana producer.
These are the emergence of Fusarium disease; inconsistent production and quality of lakatan and cardaba; limited access to market; lack of logistical support; and environmental protection.
Roque said Fusarium disease affects banana production in southern Mindanao and threatens to stretch over other areas proposing then for massive information campaign on disease control and effective reporting of any disease outbreak.
Roque, also chair of the Banana Industry Council of Region 12 (BAICOR), asked DA to continue farmers’ training programs on good agricultural practices and improved post-harvest handling.
He also lauded DA’s efforts to come up with modern packing houses compliant with quarantine requirements of major export markets.
The national government through DA-12 is backing the growth of banana growers in the region especially small-timers through various technology-transfer trainings, acquisition of planting materials, provision of post-harvest equipment and access to market linkages.