Senator Imee Marcos has urged the Department of Agriculture and other agencies to prioritize banana production and research, warning of the Philippines’ shrinking market share in key export destinations like Japan and China.
Marcos said the banana industry faces high production costs, the threat of Panama disease, and disadvantageous trade deals—issues that marketing alone cannot fix.
She called for a focus on “production, production, production,” with greater R&D investment, technology to cut farming costs, and stronger disease control measures.
The senator noted that Cavendish bananas, the country’s top export variety, generate 329,648 jobs and P42.3 billion in annual wages, supporting many smallholder farmers.
“These are families relying on banana farms to survive. Many of them are smallholder farmers already living on the edge,” according to her.
Marcos urged a strategic government plan and more pro-agriculture trade agreements to protect the industry and restore the country’s standing as a top banana exporter.IMT
