Senator Imee Marcos warns of "steep decline" in the country's market share in key banana export destinations like Japan due to the continued threat posed by Panama TR4 disease.

According to the "Banana Market Review" of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nation, "the net imports by Japan increased slightly in 2024, by a reported 0.8 percent, to just above 1 million tonnes.

It noted that "while demand for bananas in the country remained relatively stable, higher growth in import quantities was hampered by the production shortages experienced in the Philippines, from where Japan typically sources some 75 to 80 percent of its banana imports."

"Available trade data for the full year accordingly show a decline in import quantities into Japan from the Philippines by four percent, which were offset by higher imports from Cambodia, Ecuador, and Viet Nam," it stated.

In a press release on Wednesday, Marcos called on "the Department of Agriculture (DA) and other government agencies to put banana production and research at the forefront".

She stressed that the banana sector is battling a multi-faceted crisis that marketing alone cannot solve, pointing to high production costs, the persistent threat of Panama disease, and unfavorable trade agreements as the main factors eroding competitiveness.

"Marketing efforts, while appreciated, cannot solve the fundamental issues we are facing," Marcos said.

"Our high production costs create a domino effect. We need a strategy built on 'production, production, production'--not importation of agricultural products", she added.

The senator also urged the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) to prioritize combating Panama disease and other threats instead of focusing too heavily on import permits for rice.

She called for bigger investments in research and development to improve yields, technology and innovation to reduce farming costs, and production support to sustain the industry's global standing.

"We used to be export champions in bananas and coconuts. Now we are losing ground to competitors like Vietnam," Marcos warned.

"This should be a wake-up call for the government to rethink its agricultural strategy and its ability to protect key export products. We need more FTAs that champion agriculture," she added.

The FAO review also noted that "according to information released by the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association, out of the original 89 000 hectares of land available for banana cultivation in Mindanao, the key banana producing region of the Philippines, only 51 000 continue to be operational, with the remainder affected by the presence of fusarium TR4 in the soil."

It also stated that "the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association further reported that geopolitical tensions in the South China Sea additionally affected some exports of Philippine bananas."

"Based on available export data, banana shipments from the Philippines fell by some 1 percent in 2024, to 2.3 million tonnes," it added.

Marcos said that Cavendish bananas -- the country's primary export variety, accounting for half of total banana production -- generate 329,648 jobs nationwide and provide P42.3 billion in annual wages.

"These are not just numbers. These are families relying on banana farms to survive. Many of them are smallholder farmers already living on the edge," she warned.

"Let us work together on a concerted, strategic plan to secure the future of this sector and restore the Philippines' position as a leading banana exporter," she added. Robina Asido/DMS