Embrapa encourages raising the technological standard of banana production

On July 24th and 25th, Embrapa Rondônia and partners held a theoretical and practical course on the Banana Production System for producers and technicians in Alto Paraíso, in Vale do Jamari, in Rondônia. The municipality has been consolidating itself as one of the important banana producing centers in the state. The region's proximity to the main consumer market in Rondônia, which is Porto Velho, has stimulated the expansion and improvement of plantations in the region. “Increasing the use of technologies is fundamental to improving production efficiency and, consequently, better income and quality of life for producers”, explains Embrapa Rondônia analyst, Francisco Correa.

Rondônia has the second largest area cultivated with bananas in the North region, with around 9 thousand hectares. However, it has low productivity, with 8,7 tons per hectare, far from the national average, which is 14,3 tons per hectare. According to data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE 2017), in the last ten years there has been no increase in fruit productivity in the state, which presupposes a stagnation in the technological standard. 

In this context, the agronomist at Embrapa Rondônia, Davi Oliveira, states that this training offered participants cultivation practices that, when adopted, can increase the productive efficiency of banana plantations, increasing the technological standard of banana production in the state. “Actions like this also keep technicians interacting with Embrapa’s databases and publications on banana cultivation, which helps in the constant updating of practices in the field”, comments Oliveira. For the Emater-RO technician, from Alto Paraíso, Marcos da Silva Ribeiro, the course was beneficial. “For me it was a good recycling, as it will improve assistance to producers and the identification of diseases and pests in the field”

The programme

Participants were able to see, in theory and practice, during the 12 hours of the course, the main actions recommended by the Banana Production System, with emphasis on issues related to the efficiency of the activity, which are the control of banana pests and diseases. , as well as market, commercialization and others. Topics that were addressed by the Embrapa Rondônia team: José Nilton Medeiros, Davi Melo de Oliveira and Francisco de Assis Correa. 

The new product presented was the roto-compression banana tree peeler, also known as “Nova Lurdinha”, or “banana peeler”. The device makes life easier for the producer, extending the useful life of the banana plantation. Developed by Embrapa Amazônia Oeste, the device replaces the traditional “Lurdinha”. The Desulper reduces operating time by 20%, when compared to the “Lurdinha”, and is almost 100% efficient in removing sprouts, that is, no regrowth occurs. This avoids reworking and increases the interval between harvesting. 

The banana tree produces many shoots, which leads to an excessive number of plants per clump, competing with each other, negatively affecting the size of the fruits, which leads to a reduction in production. The public can see this device in action during Field Day. The equipment can be found on the Brazilian market. Two companies are licensed to manufacture and sell the product: Marcassio, from Atalanta (SC), and Authomathika, from Sertãozinho (SP).

Bananiculture in Rondônia 

Banana is the most popular fruit in the world, with annual production of 70 million tons. Brazil is the third largest producer, with 6,67 million tons per year. According to 2019 data from IBGE, Rondônia is the fourth largest banana producing state in the North Region. The crop is one of the main sources of income for family farming in Rondônia, consolidating itself as the fourth agricultural product with the highest gross production value (VBP) in Rondônia, whose estimated value for 2019 is 225 million reais. According to preliminary results from the 2017 Agricultural Census, there are around 3 banana producing establishments in the state, considering only those with more than 50 planted trees. This year state production was 76 thousand tons, with the main producing municipalities being Buritis, Porto Velho, Jaru and Cacoal.

Realization and partnerships 

This course is part of the Sustainable technologies for strengthening fruit growing in the Amazon – TECFRUTI project, from Embrapa. It is an initiative of the Integrated Amazon Project (PIAmz), financed by the Amazon Fund and operated by the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES). The actions are being developed in the states of Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Rondônia and Roraima. The course on the Banana Production System in Alto Paraíso also had the support of the State Department of Agriculture – Seagri and Emater-RO.