Agrodefesa carries out preventive actions for banana farming in Goiás

The Government of Goiás, through the Goiana Agricultural Defense Agency (Agrodefesa), finalizes preventive actions in December to avoid the introduction of pests into commercial banana plantations. At the moment, the main focus is the quarantine pest, still absent in the country, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense race 4 Tropical – Foc R 4T. The disease, when established, has the potential to make commercial banana cultivation unfeasible and is already present in 17 countries, including detections in nearby nations, such as Colombia, Peru and Venezuela.

By the end of this month, state agricultural inspectors will close the scheduled phytosanitary survey in municipalities located on a risk route, considering the proximity to airports and highways with the highest traffic circulation and trade in banana fruits. The cities of Avelinópolis, Caturaí, Goianésia, Itaberaí, Itaguarú, Jaraguá, Leopoldo de Bulhões, Petrolina de Goiás, Santa Rosa de Goiás, Santo Antônio do Descoberto and Taquaral de Goiás are included in this survey.

Inspections for this survey must mainly cover properties that cultivate the varieties of the Cavendish subgroup (Nanica, Nanicão and Valery) and Banana da Terra (d’Angola, Terra Maranhão and Terrinha). In 2023, Agrodefesa also inspected the properties that cultivate the Maçã and Marmelo varieties, as they are grown commercially in Goiás. Commercial cultivation of Maçã has already been made unfeasible in other states, due to Panama disease (F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense race 1), and Marmelo, whose production is aimed at the agroindustry in the manufacture of sweets and jellies, restaurants or fresh consumption, can be attacked by another race of the fungus (F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense race 2 ).

The president of Agrodefesa, José Ricardo Caixeta Ramos, who has encouraged health education campaigns for crops that require legislative control, highlights that preventive measures are fundamental for banana farming. “If any sign of the pest is found in a particular orchard, phytosanitary measures will be immediately adopted to contain the problem. The activity moves the economy of many municipalities and generates employment and income in the countryside and in the cities, being highlighted in productive inclusion actions by the Government of Goiás, such as the Food Acquisition Program, PAA Goiás, focused on family farming”, he highlights.

Fruit traceability

Agrodefesa's actions for banana farming are carried out, routinely, at least three times a year in commercial areas registered with the Goiás Agricultural Defense System (Sidago), in order to certify health and issue phytosanitary documents that ensure the transit and traceability of fruits. Coordination is carried out by the Plant Health Management, through the Banana Pest Prevention and Control Program. To move the fruits, bananas must be packed in disposable boxes or sanitized plastic boxes duly accompanied by a hygiene certificate.

Plant Health manager, Daniela Rézio, reinforces that in addition to the inspection carried out on commercial plantations, Agrodefesa also carries out guidance work with producers. “It is necessary to be constantly vigilant to detect any signs of pests in the orchards, immediately reporting to the Agency about any problems”, she warns.

The activities carried out in the field are supervised by the coordinator of the Banana Program, Juracy Rocha Braga Filho, and by the state agricultural inspector Rogério Gomes Pereira, from the Local Operational Unit (UOL) of Petrolina de Goiás, with support from agronomists from the Rio das Antas Regional Units (Anápolis), Rio das Almas (Ceres), Rio dos Bois (São Luís de Montes Belos), Rio Itiquira (Formosa) and Rio Vermelho (Itaberaí). Juracy adds that care should begin as soon as the seedlings are acquired. “They must be certified, free from pests, coming from suitable laboratories, biofactories or nurseries. To obtain seedlings from other states, producers can request authorization for acquisition on the Agrodefesa website”, he concludes.