The detection of the Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4 fungus on a banana farm in the Piura region last April has unleashed concern throughout the banana sector.
The president of the Regional Technical Table for Organic Bananas in Piura, Oscar Raymundo Garcia, said this fungus could put at risk up to 9,000 hectares of banana cultivation in Piura, where 10,500 farmers produce organic bananas. He asked authorities for support to provide producers with resources and prevent the spread of the plague.
“The only measures we are taking are to increase security by preventing the entry of people or visitors to the plots. The National Agrarian Health Service (Senasa) is giving workshops and training to producers and technicians of the organizations so that they begin to apply measures, but we still lack implements to disinfect the footwear or the tires of the cars that enter the plots,” he stated. If the plague spreads throughout the valley, organic banana production could disappear, the leader warned.
We are also concerned because not all small producers have knowledge or information about the control measures for this fungus in Piura, he stressed.
25% drop in productivity
The pandemic has impacted organic banana production, which is mainly destined for Europe and the United States.
“Small organic banana producers are always concerned with improving the productivity and quality of the product. However, due to the pandemic, it has been difficult to invest in fertilizers, inputs, or to apply some techniques to control pests. Many have spent their capital on health issues due to COVID-19,” stated Raymundo Garcia. In fact, production in 2021 has fallen by 25% when compared to the period before the pandemic.
“Not everyone can develop 100% of their activities on their plots due to the pandemic. The productivity of many areas has dropped considerably, as well as the quality. Before, we had a lot of orders for organic bananas. This year, however, the orders are no longer the same, buyers are no longer consuming as much as in previous years. In addition, the cost overruns we face to be able to harvest and export do not allow us to achieve the same profitability,” stated the president of the Regional Technical Table for Organic Bananas in Piura.
In addition, organic banana producers also had losses generated by the last transport stoppage in Piura, which raised their losses to a total of approximately 3 million dollars this year, the leader stated.
Source: agraria.pe