According to the Banana Growers Federation of Colombia (Fedeplacol), the high temperature of the last three months are affecting the banana production, as the fruits are ripening prematurely.
José Hernández, president of Fedeplacol, said the weight of the banana clusters decreased by 15% during the summer, and that they had to permanently control the sigatoka, a destructive foliar disease, because the high temperatures and subsequent rain creates the ideal conditions for it to multiply.
There are 22,500 hectares of bananas in Risaralda, most of which are associated with coffee cultivation, that produce 240,000 tonnes a year.
Source: caracol.com.co