A Philippine partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the University of Frankfurt is enabling the Philippines to adopt techniques in producing the exotic “Lakatan” that is resistant to banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) even as this variety has high market potential given higher production.

While the Philippines is one of the world’s top four largest banana producers, a continuing niche in the banana sector is being eyed by the government specifically through the Lakatan variety. And the use of "gamma irradiation," which is a higher energy version of X-ray, is helping breeders come up with a mutant variety that can produce higher yield due to resistance to BBTV.

"Results showed that gamma irradiation treatments successfully improved the resistance of “Lakatan” bananas to BBTV. The treatments also led to the production of plants with varying heights, giving breeders a wider choice for selection," reported the Philippine Council for Agriculture Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD).

The country produced a total of 7.48 million metric tons (MT) of banana in 2007, and this is targeted to increase to 8.213 million MT by 2008.

Banana area in 2007 was 436,783 hectares while target expansion area for 2008 was 23,553 hectares particularly in Davao and other Mindanao provinces. However, with a Lakatan variety resistant to BBTV, Luzon can significantly increase its banana production whether for domestic or export use. "Of the 7,366 regenerated plants screened for BBTV resistance, 29 lines were found to be highly resistant to the virus while improved agronomic traits included bigger, heavier, and sweeter fruits," according to Dr. Olivia P. Damasco of the Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB).

While the Philippines is a top banana producer and exporter particularly for the Cavendish variety, the production and marketing of other banana varieties like Lakatan, Saba, and Latundan remains to be small-scale.

For the exportable Cavendish, many non-government organizations protest that Cavendish banana planting in the country has largely benefited big multinational companies like Del Monte Or Dole, leaving small farmers even those who are agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARB), deprived of the economic benefits of the fruit's production.

PCARRD earlier came up with a Banana Investment Portfolio that would promote capital generation into this sector that would particularly benefit small farmholders.

This portfolio, according to PCARRD, includes the profile of the industry, the package of technology in Lakatan production, details and highlights of the feasibility study, management of pests and diseases, planting materials sources, potential market and possible credit sources.