Government vows stronger support to revitalize banana industry

MANILA, Philippines — Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel has vowed stronger government support for the country’s sagging banana sector, unveiling a package of interventions aimed at helping the industry recover from disease outbreaks and remain competitive in global markets.

In a statement, Tiu Laurel called for closer collaboration between the government and the private sector to revive the industry, which has been battered by both biological and market challenges.

“The (DA) is firmly committed to supporting our banana farmers and exporters in addressing this challenge,” Tiu Laurel said.

Under the High Value Crops Development Program for 2025, the DA said it aims to distribute 106,000 banana planting materials for farm expansion and rejuvenation, along with 120,000 units of organic fertilizer to improve soil health.

The agency will also deploy over 215,000 biological control agents such as Trichoderma to protect plant health and reduce post-harvest losses.

Tiu Laurel cited that the spread of Fusarium Wilt Tropical Race 4, more commonly known as Panama disease, as the industry’s most urgent threat.

He said the disease has already affected around 15,500 hectares in the Davao Region, endangering the Cavendish variety that serves as the backbone of Philippine banana exports.

Outside of domestic issues, Tiu Laurel highlighted the pressures the local banana industry faces in global markets.

He said that Vietnam has surpassed the Philippines as the leading supplier of bananas to China, and that exports to Japan remain at a disadvantage due to higher tariffs compared with competitors from Vietnam, Mexico and Peru.