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San Mateo, Isabela - Banana is expected to be an alternative
and lucrative commodity, potentially as promising as some
other agricultural crops apart from traditional crops like
rice and corn in Region 2.
To
emphasize this potential, 40 ha of banana demo areas were
established in Isabela to showcase the recommended technologies
on the use of tissue-cultured planting materials, production
management, crop nutrition, pests and diseases management,
irrigation, and postharvest handling. The success of the Banana
Commercialization Project was
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also underscored on October 13 in this town, during the first
field day and technology forum on banana production and provided
a venue to further promote this growing industry of banana
production.
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A 5-ha prime rice land now planted with bananas, teeming with
bunches of cavendish and lakatan fruits, impressed hundreds
of farmers and agricultural technicians during the event. They
gained a better appreciation of banana production as they harvested
the first fruits from the original or mother plants. A cooperator
has been selling 6,000 fingers of banana each week, worth P6,000,
to a major buyer, the Center for Organic Farming and Integrated
Rural Development (CORDEV). CORDEV is a nongovernment organization
that exports banana and other crops. |
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In succeeding
years, a cooperator can expect to harvest from the fruits of the
suckers from the original plant. For one-year production period,
the farm is expected to create 222% return on investment, compared
to the average 130% in rice production, particularly in San Mateo.
Because of this information, farmers, local agriculturists, and
experts, as well as the local officials who attended the field day
and technology forum expressed their interest in diversifying some
of their rice areas to banana production. “Cagayan Valley
consistently ranks fifth in terms of banana production,” confirms
Dr. Biley Temanel of the Isabela State University (ISU). As the
technical adviser of the Banana Commercialization Project, Temanel
highlighted the prospects of banana in the region during the forum.
The field day
and forum is part of the project on banana commercialization of
the Cagayan Valley Agriculture and Resources Research and Development
Consortium (CVARRD) through its Banana Research and Development
Program. On the other hand, the diversification of prime rice lands
into banana plantations was pioneered by the Good Samaritan Multipurpose
Cooperative of San Mateo in Isabela Province, a farmers’ organization.
This technology demonstration was done in collaboration with ISU,
Open Academy for Philippine Agriculture, Philippine Rice Research
Institute, Department of Agrarian Reform-Provincial Agrarian Reform
Office, the local government units of Isabela, the municipality
of San Mateo, and Eveland Christian College.
The town mayor,
Hon. Roberto C. Agcaoili, committed the use of a vehicle to bring
the technology to farmers in the outskirts of San Mateo. Farmers
were particularly concerned on the technology for pest and disease
management.
On
the other hand, representatives from the Department of Science and
Technology presented some information on postharvest handling of
fresh bananas, since there are prospective buyers of banana fruits
for sophisticated markets and even the export market. To address
financial concerns, the Producers Bank presented the available credit
facilities exclusive for farmers and entrepreneurs venturing in
banana production and trading. (Monalinda B. Cadiz – CVARRD)
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