Vaniva: a “ray of hope” for the banana industry
Syngenta Philippines has now come up with Vaniva, the first solution that has the promise and potential to control and manage Fusarium wilt. Although this has yet to be validated by farmers themselves, “this comes as a relief and offers a ray of hope,” says former Dept. of Agriculture Sec. Manny Piñol.
Filipino banana growers face stronger pressure to regain lost ground and reverse the downward trend that it is currently experiencing with its slide from 2nd to 3rd as a global banana exporter. This translates to a substantial reduction of almost USD300 million from last year, largely because as much as 40,000 hectares ( 40% of total hectarage) were adversely affected by Fusarium wilt (also known as Panama disease)
With the losses stemming from the difficulty in containing the spread of Fusarium wilt, there is a pressing need to find a solution because when left unaddressed, there is a strong likelihood that banana plantations would abandon production, displacing workers and growers, and switching to other crops. Planters have tried to control Fusarium through varied methods such as crop rotation, rice hull burning, and using compound-supplemented soil in plantations. Sadly, some just completely abandon the fields when these methods do not work.
“There had been many formulas and protocols presented by various companies in the past but the devastation of the banana farms by Panama Disease continued, “ says Manny Piñol, former Department of Agriculture Secretary, where he was the key speaker for the Vaniva launch for independent banana growers held August at Tagum City, Davao del Norte province, last August 8, 2024.
With this in mind, Syngenta Philippines has now come up with Vaniva, the first solution that has the promise and potential to control and manage Fusarium wilt because of its broad-spectrum control of nematodes and key fungal diseases. It is the first product that has successfully controlled Fusarium wilt incidence in banana plantations. Although this has yet to be validated by farmers themselves, “this comes as a relief and offers a ray of hope,” says Piñol.
Syngenta Philippines’ Crop Protection R&D Head Rizal Alfonso , along with Business Head for Plantation Joel Lumang, CP Portfolio Manager Julius Cunanan, Plantation Key Account Manager Garry Nineza, also contributed to a lively discussion that featured Vaniva's yield- boosting advantages while preserving sustainability. Portfolio Strategy & Commercial Excellence Head Dan Aquino and Business Sustainability Manager Ruby Eduarte supported the team, joining them in giving the 137 guests a warm welcome.
