Banana Plantation Inspections in Costa Rica to Assess Foc R4T Biosecurity Measures

The Costa Rican Banana Corporation (CORBANA), the countries equivalent of the Ministry of Bananas in Costa Rica, is carrying out farm inspections in all banana producing and multinational farms to assess the implementation of biosecurity measures designed to prevent the development and spread of Foc R4T, also known as ¨Fusarium¨. In Costa Rica, the Foc R4T has not been discovered up to week 25, but has been identified in Colombia. The Fusarium disease has severely damaged and destroyed plantations in the Philippines and Australia, causing severe damages in these countries. There are no resistant commercial banana varieties to Fusarium, only tolerant varieties, which after 3-4 years are severely affected by the disease, when replanting has to be done again. Protective measures against the disease include the disinfection of cars, shoes, and tools entering the premises of the plantations, as well as building fences that protect the farms from by-passers that may contaminate the soil. Also any visitor who visited any Fusarium present countries are regulated from entering. Finally, as a phytosanitary measure, any plant material brought to the country is rejected at customs in ports of entry, and disposed of.