The Banana Board is cautioning banana and plantain cultivators in Jamaica against the removal of foliage from their crops as a preparatory step for impending hurricanes. Despite the prevalence of this method among farmers, the board emphasizes the potential detrimental impact on subsequent yields. General Manager, Janet Ferguson Conie, highlights that this practice could hinder the emergence of new bunches. Instead, she advises farmers to harvest any bunches that are ripe to prevent loss.
For those not yet mature, the recommendation is to cover them for protection. Ferguson Conie also suggests conducting a thorough inspection of fields to identify and secure mature bunches for early market sales while keeping track of the location of immature ones for post-storm recovery. The Banana Board is actively engaging with farmers through extension services to promote these disaster preparedness strategies, aiming to mitigate the vulnerability of banana plants to waterlogging and wind damage.
Source: jamaica-gleaner.com