The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will make use of technology by Costa Rican company Prodex in order to protect banana plantations from growth defects. Small producers in the Dominican Republic will utilize the technology on plantations, thereby increasing production, limiting losses and maintaining quality standards.
FAO supplied 1447 Dominican growers with special plates, meant to protect young banana plants against sprawling roots, one of the main problems in banana cultivation. The distortion arises when the roots of a banana plant come into contact with the roots of another banana plant, causing friction.
According to Sergio Luconi, director of trade at Prodex, insertion of the plates decreases the chance of such distortions with 95%.
The website of the Union for Dominican Banana Producers states the LTP technology increases production by 7%.
Source: Redacción Estrategia & Negocios