Valoria said the country is recovering in production but the lengthening dry period every year has been challenging banana stakeholders.
Among the challenges faced by the banana growers is the continuing threat of Fusarium Wilt which is considered a new strain of the Panama disease known as Tropical Race 4 (TR4) and is also a very serious disease in Cavendish banana plantations.
“Black Sigatoka and the Panama diseases are threatening the competitiveness of the Philippines [in] the international markets,” Mr. Valoria said.
He said banana growers are also hopeful they will get support in their move to request the Japanese government to remove all import tariffs in Japan.
“The last time they [had] a significant reduction of tariff [was] way back in 1990 and Japan has been our partner and ally for so many years,” he said.
Incoming Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol has assured stakeholders that one of the Duterte administration’s agriculture programs is to set up laboratories for plant and animal diseases for every region.
