The Nicaraguan Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA), announced on Tuesday the Second Congress of Technology for the Genetic and Productive Improvement of Plantain Cultivation, which aims to present the technologies that have been developed to increase productivity and the genetic improvement of this crop in Nicaragua.
Luz Maria Flores, the project coordinator, said that there had been an increase in planting areas last year. "They went from 19,723 hectares to more than 21,836 established hectares, 60% of which are in the production stage."
The project expects an increase of about 700 hectares more for cultivation by 2021, supported by the technology introduced by the Government of Taiwan to Nicaragua.
Miguel Chen, project manager, said there will be three conferences and three panels, as well as a business conference next to a trade fair organized by INTA and the Ministry of Family, Community, Cooperative and Associative Economy (MEFCCA) that will be open to the public on Thursday.
Exports and processed products
At the business round, exporters will explain to producers how they can reach export levels. "This item is currently not available for export as fresh fruit, but as frozen fruit," Chen said.
In addition, producers are producing processed plantain products, so research is being carried out to generate technologies for other transformation alternatives implemented in flour and handicrafts, Flores said.
The congress will be held this Wednesday and Thursday from 09:00 AM at the Crowne Plaza Convention Center in Managua, and will include the participation of 200 producers who are working within Nicaragua's plantain cultivation project.
Source: tn8.tv
