Davao city: Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities cultivating Cardava bananas have established a global market linkage, facilitated by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
According to Philippines News Agency, the DA-Davao Region (DA-11) reported that 1,593 kilograms of Cardava bananas from the Ata Paquibato Tribal Association (APATA) were purchased by See's International Food Manufacturing Corporation in August. The DA supported the transport of these bananas using its Kadiwa trucks, enabling APATA to ship the initial batch directly to See's factory in Bunawan, Davao City.
See's, with a 30-year presence in the market, exports premium Philippine banana chips worldwide and has committed to purchasing APATA's Cardava bananas every 15 days. To ensure a fair partnership, the DA will assist in drafting a formal contract to protect both parties involved.
APATA chairperson Oliver Manlangan expressed gratitude towards public and private partners for their support and trust, stating, "We thank the DA for giving us this market linkage. This will really help us in our livelihood." The initiative was facilitated by DA-11's Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo program, in coordination with the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division.
Ruben See, president of See's, affirmed the company's dedication to supporting APATA's produce, calling the collaboration "a dream come true." To maintain quality standards, See's conducted a briefing for APATA members on the proper classification of Cardava bananas.
The Department of Trade and Industry notes that Cardava bananas thrive in various soil types, except highly sandy or rocky ones, and grow best in consistently warm and humid weather. The variety is among the priority commodities assisted by the DTI RAPID project, focusing on increasing rural incomes by developing value chains for key agribusinesses. Due to its larger size, the Cardava variety is often processed into banana chips.
DA-11 Director Macario Gonzaga emphasized the commitment to connecting farmers to markets, stating, "Our efforts will not go to waste. We are committed to finding ways to connect our farmers to the markets."
