THE DEPARTMENT of Trade and Industry XI’s (DTI) XI registered new investments of P150 million for cavendish banana export and P85 million for banana chip exports in Davao Region in 2024.
The department also assisted 30 exporters and facilitated P45.9 million in export sales and P41 million in domestic sales from January to December 2024.
Additionally, DTI-Davao del Norte OIC provincial director Zerline Balleque said 1,000 jobs were generated from various investments in the banana sector.
In 2023, the Philippine Statistics Authority XI (PSA) said the banana industry remained the top exporter in Davao Region, with total earnings of $1.19 billion, followed by coconut oil at a $263.95 million export value. Bananas also accounted for 48.18% of the total exports in the region.
In an interview, Balleque said the banana industry is still reeling from the destructive impact of Fusarium wilt (Panama disease), which forced some banana farms to stop operating. Local government units and the Department of Agriculture are making efforts to use new technologies such as drones and fertilizers in combating the fungus.
She shared that large banana plantations that practice GMP (good manufacturing practices) can afford the technologies to contain the Fusarium wilt while other small farms are still being affected.
“Mao na siya [Fusarium wilt] ang natural challenge. Aside from that, I think yung pag export nila because there are issues sa pag export sa product, how easy to export the banana products to lessen the cost,” she said on Dec 12.
File Photo by Bing Gonzales
