Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. announced a set of government measures aimed at supporting the country's banana industry and addressing the spread of Panama disease, also known as Fusarium wilt tropical race 4.
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 called for closer collaboration between the public and private sectors to tackle the biological and market challenges affecting the industry.
© DA
He identified Fusarium wilt as the most urgent threat, noting that the disease has already affected about 15,500 hectares in the Davao Region, posing risks to the Cavendish variety, the primary export type for Philippine producers.
"The Department of Agriculture is firmly committed to supporting our banana farmers and exporters in addressing this challenge," Tiu Laurel said.
As part of the 2025 High Value Crops Development Program, the Department of Agriculture plans to distribute 106,000 banana planting materials for farm expansion and rejuvenation, and 120,000 units of organic fertilizer to improve soil health. It will also deploy over 215,000 biological control agents, including Trichoderma, to support disease management and reduce postharvest losses.
Tiu Laurel also pointed to trade-related difficulties, citing that Vietnam has overtaken the Philippines as China's largest banana supplier, while exports to Japan continue to face higher tariffs than those from Vietnam, Mexico, and Peru. He said addressing these disparities should be a focus during the upcoming review of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).
He highlighted the importance of continued investment in disease tolerance research, breeding strategies, and the use of emerging technologies such as gene editing to sustain the sector's productivity.
The Department of Agriculture urged PBGEA and BEIF to prioritize both disease management and export competitiveness as part of the sector's recovery strategy.
For more information:
DA of the Philippines
Tel: +63 289 288 741
Email: [email protected]
www.da.gov.ph
