Representatives of the international banana industry discussed a number of factors that would improve competitiveness, the most prominent of which were the Panama Canal expansion project and the fight against pests and diseases.
Javier Carrillo, online Service specialist for the Panama Canal, said during the V International Banana Congress, which was held in Costa Rica, that the enlargement of the Canal would improve the competitiveness of various sectors, including that of bananas.
"Operations will be more efficient with this expansion. We'll be taking better care of the environment and the tariffs for the use of the Canal will decrease," he said.
According to Carrillo, this project will improve the logistics process of world exports and imports.
The CEO of Costa Rica's Corbana, Jorge Sauma, said the banana industry needs a modern infrastructure and transportation means that will help them meet the increasing international demand for the fruit.
Another issue discussed at the event was the fight on pests and diseases affecting the banana industry worldwide.
Costa Rica has 43,500 hectares of bananas, and if they were affected by some pests that attack the root of the plant, such as nematodes (worms) or the black Sigatoka, productivity might fall between 30% and 50%.
"It is a serious problem because the roots are vital to plant nutrition. When this pathogen attacks them, the fruit's quality is compromised and this affects production," said Jorge Sandoval, researcher at Corbana.
Experts recommended the use of low toxicity nematicides, which are friendly to the environment, to fight these pests.
International consultant, Benjamin Paz, presented data that revealed that the main consumers of bananas in the United States are people aged between 40 and 60.
"The main consumers of bananas are the people between 40 and 60 years because they can consume up to 50 pounds of fruit per year," said Paz.
He added that 93 percent of the product in the United States is acquired in supermarkets.
According to the Congress' data, global banana consumption in the last 50 years has increased from 34 million tons to 146 million tons per year.
Nearly 600 industry experts, entrepreneurs and scientists from 25 countries attended the Congress.
Source: Efe