THE continuous decline in banana production in Mindanao due to pathogens and other diseases affecting crops could impact the job market in the future, according to the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBgea).
Stephen Antig, executive director of PBgea, told Davao media during the Business Matters Forum on Friday, September 27, 2024, that 700,000 individuals across Mindanao currently rely on the banana industry for their livelihood.
“We are still trying to survive and sustain the banana operations here in Mindanao. We're one of the biggest employers in this part of the country so we cannot afford to let this industry die for that reason” he said, noting that the Davao Region is one of 16 provinces in five regions across Mindanao that operate banana plantations.
Despite ongoing challenges, such as diseases and the impact of climate change on banana supply, Antig reported that production has increased over the past seven months.
“We saw improvement in the production as well as the exportation of our bananas in the traditional markets like Japan, South Korea, and the Middle East. China is the biggest market but unfortunately, the suppliers that are now dominating China are Vietnam, Cambodia, and Ecuador, and the reason is that we don’t have enough volume," Antig said.
Antig advocates for changes to the Agrarian Reform Law, citing issues with expanding banana plantations due to a 5-hectare land limit.
“I’m trying to lobby or get the Department of Agrarian Reform to amend the Agrarian Reform Law because we believe that the limitation of five hectares is not feasible for this kind of crop. Unfortunately, we have not gotten any feedback as to whether the amendments are coming or not, but we will definitely continue to lobby twice,” he added.
Antig also revealed that out of the original 89,000 hectares designated for banana agriculture, only 15,000 hectares are actively used due to the devastation caused by pests and diseases.
“Right now what we can do is to simply rehabilitate those areas affected but we cannot do that as fast as we want to, as it takes nine months to one year,” he said.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the Davao Region was the top banana producer in 2023, contributing 868.19 thousand metric tons or 38.3 percent of total production. Northern Mindanao followed with 431.86 thousand metric tons (19.0 percent), and Soccsksargen with 279.20 thousand metric tons (12.3 percent). DEF