Private sector-led projects are expected to boost production of Cavendish banana, copra and vegetables in Southern Philippines, according to the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA).
MinDA Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said the agency together with banana grower Unifrutti Philippines will launch a field learning program on how to control and prevent the spread of Fusarium wilt or more commonly known as Panama disease.
Piñol said Unifrutti undertook a six-year field experiment to control the spread of the disease in a farm managed by Manupali Agri Development Corp. (MADC) in Valencia City, Bukidnon.
MinDA said banana industry stakeholders in at least two South American countries had visited the MADC farm, some local government units of Davao del Norte and other banana corporations to document practices undertaken by field scientists of Unifrutti.
Piñol said MADC’s banana farm area was revived and expanded from 280 to 371 hectares and now employs over 1,000 workers, capable of producing as much as 4,200 boxes of Class A Cavendish bananas per hectare every year after being a “ghost farm” with the severity of Panama disease.
Piñol said Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. has donated its P500 million post-harvest facility originally intended for Virginia tobacco production in Claveria, Misamis Oriental to the provincial government following the closure of its operations.
The facility is equipped with 150 modern drying chambers each with a 17-ton capacity as well as an automated green house nursery that will be used by the local government to produce dried white copra and potted vegetable plantlets for the farmers.
Philip Morris established the facility following successful planting of Virginia tobacco in Claveria but was forced to abandon its operations after the increase of taxes on tobacco products. – Jed Macapagal
