P7-M banana tech innovation center to rise in Davao Sur

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A P7-million banana facility will soon be established in Matan-ao, Davao del Sur in a bid to promote Philippine standards on good agricultural and manufacturing practices for banana and its value-added products.

The banana facility will be put up in the Southern Philippines Agri-Business and Marine and Aquatic School of Technology campus in Matan-ao town.  

The Commission on Higher Education will provide funding support for the initial five-hectare banana technology innovation center that also aims to strengthen the capability of the school’s faculty and students in research and development and extension services.

The banana facility, whose construction starts next month, is expected to address the concerns of the banana industry in Mindanao.

Southern Mindanao reportedly produced at least 3.79 million metric tons of bananas last year, comprising 41 percent of the country’s total banana production, according to the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics.

The Mindanao Development Authority also reported that banana accounted for 14.94 percent of Mindanao’s more than $3-billion agricultural exports last year.

Despite the relatively good export performance of the banana industry in recent years, banana producers and exporters in Mindanao are still beset by growing demand overseas for higher quality bananas.

Diseases such as Fusarium wilt and Black Sigatoka as well as phytosanitary issues are among the challenges that the banana industry must hurdle to meet the growing demand for bananas in the international market.

The domestic demand for local varieties such as saba, lakatan, and latundan is also increasing.   

Aside from pest infestation and diseases, the shortfall in the supply of local banana varieties can be also attributed to the decline in production in areas devastated by Typhoon Pablo in 2012.