The Philippine Department of Agriculture of the Davao Region will continue training banana farmers who received GCTCV 218 banana seedlings in good agricultural practices. This is particularly important because this variety has different production protocols compared to traditional Cavendish bananas.
In an earlier interview with Philipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association executive director Stephen Antig said that a group of banana growers from Santo Tomas complained that the fruits produced by the GCTCV 218 were not of good quality.
Antig earlier clarified that they had already told the banana growers that there might be a slight difference in taste and shape. He said it will only be a matter of market acceptance.
Sunstar.com.ph describes how Regional High Value Crops Development Program Coordinator Melani Provido supported Antig, saying that only the Chinese market had had complaints. All other countries that imported GCTCV 218 bananas, like Japan, had not.
She added that it is a challenge to get the proper production protocol for GCTCV 218 carried out by the Philippine farmers, as it differs from the Cavendish banana protocol. Provido said the GCTCV 218 requires more care. “If only the farmers would really strictly follow the proper protocol of taking care of the variant, we think their Chinese market will really accept their bananas.”
