To combat the spread of fusarium wilt or TR4, the Philippines Department of Agriculture in the Davao Region (DA-11) has underscored the need to expand banana varieties for export through increased marketing efforts.

DA-11 Director Abel James Monteagudo said that as part of the initiative, the DA-Research is currently conducting a value-adding study on caravan flour and banana fibre for paper and textiles for commercialisation.

Last week, Monteagudo convened banana industry stakeholders to propose initiatives to tackle pest control and diseases, limited access to processing materials, input cost subsidies, and implementing a fixed price.

Meanwhile, Gil Dureza, the regional chief investment specialist at the Board of Investments, said it is essential to adhere to global sanitary and phytosanitary standards for banana products to be acceptable for export.

Dureza also recommended collaborating with universities to create value-added banana products.

In February this year, at least 150 banana growers whose plantations were infected with TR4 shifted to corn farming in Davao del Norte province.