ARMM, Palawan eyed as new banana plantation sites

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture has picked Palawan, as well as the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM),  to be new sites of banana plantations following the onslaught of typhoons in southern Mindanao.

Southern Mindanao, considered to be one of the top banana-producing regions in the world where large banana plantations are presently concentrated, have  lately been hit by  extreme weather disturbances such as typhoons Sendong and Pablo as well as the heavy rains brought about by a low pressure area last month.

Banana plantations do not thrive in areas hit by typhoons. Extreme weather conditions destroy banana plants.

It has also been noted lately that typhoons already enter the southern part of the country where these banana plantations are located.

Agriculture chief Proceso Alcala said government has been looking for alternative sites for the banana plantations which have also suffered from the disastrous  Panama disease.

Alcala said there are at least 33,000 hectares identified as suitable site for banana plantations in Palawan.

A  study is reportedly being done now in cooperation with the banana multinational firm Unifrutti in the  Palawan  area which is said to be government land.

“We are also looking at areas in Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, especially in the conflict-affected towns of Buldon, Barira, Talayan and Parang in Maguindanao, as well as areas in Lanao del Sur that could also be sites for banana plantations,” said Alcala, during a recent visit for  the assessment meeting of the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP).

Alcala said that banana planters who were affected by typhoon Pablo in Compostela Valley last Dec. 4, 2012, were  able to export bananas twice already with the intervention of DA.

The DA chief  said that the two exportations of bananas from CompostelaValley reportedly commanded the highest price ever of bananas per box at around $8.