Philippines: Chemrez, Dole interested in organic solution for banana disease

Listed Chemrez Technologies, Inc. and Dole Asia Ltd. have expressed interest in a newly developed organic control for crown rot, a disease found in bananas. The Philippine Center for Post-Harvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) developed the organic solution from specific fungi and bacteria to prevent the occurrence of crown rot in bananas, in which brown or black color develops where the hand was severed from the bunch.

PhilMech scientist Dionisio G. Alvindia, who discovered the solution, said in a press briefing yesterday the agency has been working with Chemrez Technologies for the mass production of the solution.

"Chemrez has expressed interest for the mass production of the solution ... [while] Dole Asia expressed interest because they want to buy the technology to apply it to their products,” Mr. Alvindia said. Mr. Alvindia said that Chemrez will develop a carrier for the organic solution, to be made available to fruit companies and farmer cooperatives. For Dole Asia, the agency will commence laboratory testing of its organic solution for the firm’s bananas, pineapples, and papayas. In a telephone interview, Dean A. Lao, Jr., chief operating officer of Chemrez Technologies, confirmed the firm’s interest in the product. “It is currently undergoing research and is not yet ready for release in the market,” Mr. Lao said.

"Our product will be the carrier of their bio-control agent, an organic solution to control fungus and other pests,” Mr. Lao said. Mr. Alvindia noted that banana crown rot is considered as the most dreaded post-harvest disease, especially for exports. “Because of the long interval of 19 to 21 days from harvest to market and due to non-treatment of pesticides, export-quality bananas deteriorate due to crown rot,” Mr. Alvindia said. PhilMech Executive Director Ricardo I. Cachuella said “Dr. Alvindia’s breakthrough discovery will greatly benefit the local banana industry, especially the exporters, because that will make their bananas better in quality because no fungicide would be used to control the banana crown rot.”

Mr. Cachuella said the organic solution is undergoing the registration process with the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority of the Agriculture department. The agency has already applied for a patent for the solution. Mr. Cachuella said other companies aside from Dole Asia and Chemrez have expressed interest in buying the technology. While Mr. Cachuella cannot say for sure how much the organic solution would sell in the market, he said it might be priced at least 50% lower than regular fungicides, which sell for P400 to P500 a liter.