Cardava Banana Overtaking Cavendish Due to Panama Disease Philippines

Litundan, Lakatan , Cardava, and Cavendish are among the banana varieties grown in the Philippines as a source of income, with Cavendish bananas mainly exported to China. However, due to the massive spread of Panama disease in the Cavendish banana in the Davao Region, farmers have switched to the Cardava variety, which is processed into chips and some fresh fruit and is exported directly to Japan, the Middle East, and Korea. Additionally, Cardava is one of the priority commodities grown in Davao Oriental, Davao Del Norte, and Davao Del Sur due to its rapid growth in exports for its chips.