In Mindanao, the banana industry faces challenges from diseases like fusarium wilt, also known as Panama disease, and limitations on land use, which are affecting the sector's output and threatening the livelihoods of those dependent on it. The Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) highlighted the ongoing decline in banana production in the region, which poses risks to employment for around 700,000 individuals. Despite these challenges, there has been a reported increase in production and export over the past seven months, with traditional markets in Japan, South Korea, and the Middle East continuing to receive exports. However, competition in China from countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, and Ecuador is intensifying due to insufficient supply volumes from the Philippines.
Stephen Antig, PBGEA's executive director, emphasized the need for legislative changes, particularly the amendment of the Agrarian Reform Law that restricts plantation expansion beyond five hectares, which is not conducive for banana cultivation. The industry is also grappling with reduced land availability, with only 15,000 hectares out of an original 89,000 hectares currently being utilized for banana agriculture due to pest and disease damage. Rehabilitation efforts are underway, but the process is slow, requiring up to a year for plants to bear fruit.
The decline in market share in key export destinations since 2012 underscores the impact of these challenges on the Philippine banana industry. Efforts to develop disease-resistant banana varieties are critical to safeguarding the remaining agricultural land and ensuring the sector's survival. The PBGEA is working on a bill aimed at revitalizing the banana industry, which includes proposals for establishing a world-class research facility to benefit the Cavendish banana sector and broader agricultural interests in the Philippines.
Sources: Business World & Sunstar