The Department of Agriculture (DA) is offering new technology to banana cultivators to bolster the production of the fruit in Central Visayas, an agriculture researcher said on Monday.

Jennylou Velasquez, science research technician at DA-7, said using the new technology would greatly help in the development of the banana industry, acknowledging the fruit’s economic viability in the Philippines.

Velasquez, who is now working with DA-7’s Cebu Experiment Station, said bananas are one of the main commodities in the country that provide a livelihood to farmers and are known to be one of the sources of economic development in the region.

Bananas are also among the top agricultural commodities for export to other countries.

“Bananas are the top 5 crop commodities of the Philippines with a higher value in the economy in our country. It provides livelihood to the people, especially the farmers,” Vasquez said.

To help banana farmers increase their production, the agriculture department is offering a technology under the “Banana Package of Technology” or the “Banana Cultural Management and Practices.”

Under this package, farmers will be exposed to a variety of bananas that can produce more fruit and survive in any type of soil using only the stem cuttings, not the “saha” or shoot.

The Philippines is known for exporting Cavendish with the largest production in Mindanao. (PNA)