Philippines: Decline in Balangon banana exports

Consumers and producers of Philippines company, Alter Trade Corporation, are facing a big challenge…

Consumers and producers of Philippines company, Alter Trade Corporation, are facing a big challenge after a decline in Balangon banana exports, a result of climate change which has decreased banana volumes.

The presentation in the Balangon Summit between banana growers and their Japanese consumers yesterday at Nature's Village, Talisay City, showed that there is a decline in boxes exported per grower from 71.50 to 42.20 between 2005 and 2015.

The highest export recorded was in 2008 at 188,939 boxes of bananas and after that year, exports declined to 129,342 boxes in 2014.

This decline is attributed to calamities that have occurred in the country. Negros is not the only producer, there are also partner producers from different parts of the country, even in Yolanda-affected and in earthquake-affected areas in Bohol. Both are affected because consumers can not get regular supplies while there is loss in productivity and income of producers.

This summit is being held on the issues and concerns of Balangon farmers in the Philippines, with delegates from consumers' cooperatives that will pass resolutions to improve trading activities.

Balangon has great significance to farmer growers. As of the September 2015 records, 2,895 framers were exporting Balangon to Japan and 47% come from Negros and 26% from Mindanao.