Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. pledged expanded government support for the banana industry, rolling out a set of interventions to curb the spread of Panama disease and help the sector regain its footing in the global market.
Speaking at the 32nd Joint General Assembly of the Philippine Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) and the Banana Export Industry Foundation (BEIF), Tiu Laurel urged closer government–industry coordination to revive a sector hit hard by both plant disease and shifting trade conditions.
The agriculture chief identified Fusarium wilt tropical race four, or Panama disease, as the industry’s most urgent threat, noting that it has already infected some 15,500 hectares in the Davao Region, endangering the Cavendish banana variety that anchors Philippine exports.
“The Department of Agriculture is firmly committed to supporting our banana farmers and exporters in addressing this challenge,” he said.
For 2025, the DA will distribute 106,000 planting materials for farm expansion and rehabilitation, along with 120,000 units of organic fertilizer to restore soil health.
More than 215,000 biological control agents, including Trichoderma, will also be deployed to reduce crop losses and strengthen disease management.
Tiu Laurel also warned that market pressures are tightening, citing Vietnam’s rise as China’s top banana supplier and the continued tariff disadvantage Philippine shipments face in Japan compared with those from Vietnam, Mexico and Peru.
“Unless these inequities are addressed, our market share will remain at risk,” he said, calling for stronger lobbying efforts ahead of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) review.
He cited the need for sustained research and innovation, including breeding for disease tolerance and the use of technologies such as gene editing to secure the crop’s long-term viability.
The agriculture chief also urged the newly inducted PBGEA and BEIF officers to lead a unified push to contain Fusarium wilt and restore the country’s competitive edge in export markets.
