Stanfilco tops among RP banana exporters

Stanfilco Philippine shipped out a total of 129,400 metric tons during the first quarter of 2009, emerging as the top exporter of export cavendish bananas.
Stanfilco, a division of Dole Philippines, primarily engaged in the production and export of cavendish bananas.
Ranked second is Anflocor with 99,560 metric tons and at third is Sumifro with 73,395 metric tons.
Stephen Antig, president of the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA), said total exports by its members during the period was 473,301, as international demand for the tropical fruit remained stable despite world financial crisis. The export volume for the same period last year stood at 418,654 metric tons.
Cavendish bananas mostly grown in the Davao Region are exported to Japan, the Middle East, Korea, China, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Russia, Brunei, Malaysia, and Egypt.
“We have good forecast for 2009,” said Antig, adding “there was tremendous growth in demand in Japan and Middle East.”
Antig said the industry is also buoyed up by President Arroyo’s repeal of a government policy limiting areas for banana plantations.
Arroyo has buried Letter of Instruction No. 58—which limited banana farms to a total of only 26,250 hectares—which had prevented banana companies from expanding plantations.