LACATAN BANANA PRICE SHOOTS UP AFTER TYPHOON PABLO’S DEVASTATION

This is a classic example of the saying: “One man’s pain is another man’s gain.”

Following the devastation brought about by Typhoon Pablo on the provinces of Compostela Valley and Davao del Norte, known as the big producers of both the table banana locally known as “lacatan” and the cavendish banana for export, the prices of these products have shot up beyond the imagination of the farmers.

The typhoon flattened banana, oil palm, coconut and rubber plantations in these two provinces and farmers are afraid to invest again because of the uncertainty of the weather pattern.

Because of this, banana farmers in North Cotabato and other provinces which were not affected by the typhoon are enjoying an unexpected boom.

The “lacatan” variety which is the aromatic table banana preferred by Filipinos over the often bland cavendish banana which was previously bought by Cebu and Manila traders at only P14 to P16 per kilo is now being gobbled up by the same traders at P25 per kilo at farmgate.

“We could not satisfy the demand,” banana grower and trader Junjun Roque of Magpet, North Cotabato told me last week.

Cebu buyers are demanding 2.5 tons of “lacatan” banana from North Cotabato but the growers could only supply one ton.

Seeing this as an opportunity for North Cotabato farmers to make money, I teamed with up Junjun Roque to start an advocacy to explain to the people the potentials of the “lacatan” banana farming.

Today in Midsayap, I am expecting at least 100 farmers who will gather for the 1st Forum on Lacatan Banana Farming at the Ace Pension, a small inn owned by my former employee Jun Unabia.

There is no registration fee but farmers were asked to bring their own “baon” (food) because this is just a private initiative whose intention is to help the farmers understand the benefits of “lacatan” banana farming.

For example they have to know that at an average production of 20 tons per hectare, a “lacatan” banana farmer could earn as much as P500,000 every 10 months per hectare.

Also yesterday, using my connections, I called up the office of Senator Kiko Pangilinan, chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, and requested for funding for the purchase of the tissue cultured “lacatan” banana planting materials.

I asked that the money be downloaded to the Office of Congressman Jesus N. Sacdalan of the 1st District of North Cotabato.

Moving fast to grab this golden opportunity is critical and this is what I have been telling my graduate students about the secrets of successful governance.

Governance is like a basketball game. All of the players know that the object of the game is to shoot the ball but the better player, or the better leader in governance, is the one who sees the opportunity to shoot the ball and moves fast and quick to lay it up for a clear score.

(photo credit: This photo of a banana farm in the Philippines was downloaded from the REMIXXWORLD.com)