By: John Carlo Tria
YOU may not notice it, but our cavendish bananas, which constitute our largest agricultural exports, are set to hit an all-time high this year.
This, despite two major factors that would have caused it to slow down: the dreaded fungal Panama disease, and the Trump-China trade war.
The September 25, 2019, Business Mirror report by Jasper Alcaraz succinctly describes the banana opportunity in China, Japan and South Korea thus:
“Philippine banana exports to China rose by 65.09 percent to 911,247.344 metric tons, from 551,950.261 MT recorded last year. The value of shipments also went up by 65 percent to $392.608 million from $237.460 million. The country’s banana shipments to China last year reached 1.273 MMT.
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data also showed that banana exports to Japan reached 788,048.058 MT, or 54.27 percent higher than the 510,801.497 MT recorded last year. Banana shipments to South Korea expanded by 57.92 percent to 337,678.274 MT from 213,831.139 MT.
China dethroned Japan as the top buyer of Philippine bananas last year as Filipino growers took advantage of the expanding Chinese economy and population. ” (https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/09/25/phl-banana-shipments-may-top-2018-record/)
Japan and Korea and the Middle East are traditional markets for our banana exports. But as China starts to discover Philippine bananas, the possible market for it may very well expand, especially as bananas reach the interior Chinese cities.
Then there is Russia, a big rich country which has shown an interest in the popular fruit.
In many Asian and European cities, bananas are considered a more affordable fruit, costing less than other fruits. As their economies start slowing down due to the US-China Trade war, the shift to banana as a table fruit may be imminent.
Likewise, bananas are considered a popular healthy snack fruit, in societies that have become health conscious and rather suspicious of western-inspired fast food.
The cavendish crop once almost exclusively grown in the Davao region is now cultivated in other Mindanao regions as far as Agusan and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Thus, be not surprised if some of the slopes once filled with sugar cane fields in Negros are slowly transformed into export banana plantations. A number of Davao based companies are exploring the island as well as Mindoro for their expansion plans. Luzon may be a stretch due to the higher typhoon frequency.
The move to other areas in the Philippines may also be necessary considering the Panama disease, which blocks the banana plant’s ability to draw water, killing it quickly. Moving into new areas can stop the spread.
In all, the strengthening of banana exports point the way to other fruits and processed food. The world is discovering Philippine fruits such as durian and young coconut as exports to China begin, and of course, locally grown Chocolate and Coffee, which has been winning awards and supply contracts in Europe and elsewhere.
Its time for us to spread to new and growing markets.
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