A significant increase in plantain production in Ciego de Ávila allows demand reach across the country, with the exception of the province of Guantanamo.
The increase in production was a result of the harvest from January to August. Avilanian farmers harvested 42, 756 tons, 12, 850 tons more than in the previous period, Yosvany Cardenas Benitez, deputy of Agriculture told AIN.
He said the rains in recent months and the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides favoured the production, which should be maintained for the remainder of this year.
The planted surface amounted to 4675 hectares between the state and the farmer-cooperative, of the varieties of plantains called vianda (known as macho), donkey, Guantanamo dwarf, giant cabandich and others.
The most significant stocks are provided by workers of the company La Cuba, one of the largest of that crop in the island, as well as its neighbouring cooperatives Paquito González, July 26 and October Revolution, said Ezekiel Abreu specialist in Agriculture.
Cardenas Benitez said the plantain promotion continues for the extradenso method, which consist in sealing the fields so that only the essential space narigón (linear distance from one plant to the other) and the street for water irrigation, fertilization and harvesting.
With this technology, each hectare takes about 3300 strains, the same amount of fruit and vianda (instead of 2,000) plants planted by the traditional way), resulting in higher yields in the same area.
Plantain is the staple food product of many tropical countries and one of the most consumed fruit in the world for its versatility, in addition to carbohydrates, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, calcium and other minerals.