DATE 2010 to focus on banana industry

THE upcoming Davao Trade and Expo (Date) 2010 will focus on the banana industry, highlighting the first Philippine Global Banana Summit.

Date 2010 chair Lizabel Holganza the event set November 5-7 is bigger and bolder as it champions Mindanao's key economic driver, the agriculture industry.

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"Previous Dates highlighted the trade industry but this year we're going to focus more on agriculture especially the banana. It will be the first time we would have the Philippine Global Banana Summit, a global conference that will bring together Philippine and foreign business leaders in a bid to address challenges faced by the stakeholders," Holganza said in a press briefing during the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII) 8th General Membership Meeting at Marco Polo Hotel.

"With the recent radical developments in production, export, marketing, and consumption of bananas, the summit would provide delegates and exciting opportunity to network and learn from the world's leading agricultural experts," she said.

Holganza said the banana industry has become an important source of income, employment and export earnings for the Philippines and other major banana exporting countries.

She said that global banana demand is estimated to grow by more than 20 percent over the next decade, thus necessitating the gathering of banana players to grab this opportunity and learn from others as well.

"Although we are leading the banana exportation in the globe we think we should also listen to other exporting countries such as Equador, Latin America, Africa among others," she said.

DCCCII president Robert Quinto said that among the things to be discussed on the Banana Summit would be the creation of a Philippine Banana Institute.

Department of Agriculture Regional Director Carlos Mendoza elaborated that the effects of aerial spraying would only be "one of the many things" that would receive research under a banana institute.

"Matagal na itong napag-isipan, as an offshoot of the Philippine Crop Protection Group, that there should be a research institute for banana. Following the hot issue on banana, among others on aerial spraying, it was decided we should have a banana institute because of the need to tackle the existence of banana diseases, the corruption of tissue culture, which is impesting our industry," Mendoza said.

He said that most of all, research on bananas should be done to provide the best information for both the industry and the small growers as well.

"The banana institute would be made in collaboration between the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health," Mendoza said.

Department of Trade and Industry Davao City Director Teolulo Pasawa said the banana industry hires over 240,000 workers in the region.

"We have around 60,000 hectares worth of cavendish banana plantation and each hectare would hire about 4 persons, this sum up to 240,000 workers depending on the income of the banana," Pasawa said.