Banana-apple faces threat from Panama disease

In the first six months of 2025, the banana-maçã was the second most traded variety at CEASA/MS, with 1,200 tons sold. Despite the appreciation in the market, producers face the risk of Panama disease, a condition that can render cultivation areas unviable for up to two decades. According to agronomist Roger Soares de Almeida from Agraer, the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense is the cause of the disease. “It compromises the roots and spreads throughout the plant, causing the pseudostem to weaken and the banana plant to die. The infected soil can remain unproductive for more than 20 years,” he explains. However, the risk does not diminish the attractiveness of the variety, known for its distinctive flavor and high price. The box of banana-maçã is sold, on average, between R$ 130 and R$ 180 at CEASA/MS. It only trails the banana-nanica in volume, which reached 17,000 tons in the same period. Producer Wandre Barbosa, from WB Bananas, cultivates 40 hectares of the fruit in ...