This archive report was first published on 21 December 2019.
As I visited Daniel's banana plantation in Maragua, Murang'a County, I noticed a broad smile on his face, a sign of a successful harvest season.
According to Daniel, this year has been one of the best for banana farmers, with high demand for the produce and a significant increase in prices. Each bunch of bananas is now selling between Sh700 and Sh1,200.
The surge in demand can be attributed to the growing consumption of bananas, particularly value-added products like banana powder in porridge and blended banana flour in chapatis.
Bananas are a profitable crop due to their versatility, with the pseudostems and fibres used to make fabrics and mats for decorations.
To maximize profits, farmers should grow tissue culture varieties acquired from certified growers, as they are highly productive and resistant to pests and diseases.
Bananas thrive in altitudes above 1,800 meters, requiring warm and humid climatic conditions. Higher altitude areas with colder conditions can slow down the growth of the crop and lead to inflorescence failure.
When planting bananas, it's essential to prepare the land well and use a planting hole measuring 90cm by 90cm by 60cm in depth, with a spacing of 3 by 3 meters depending on the variety.
Separating the topsoil from the subsoil and mixing it with well-rotted manure before refilling the hole is also crucial. The crop takes eight to 15 months to mature, depending on the variety.
However, most farmers face challenges in controlling or managing banana stools, which affects production. To ensure maximum production, only three pseudo-stems should be allowed on each stool.
Regular removal of unwanted suckers by cutting them at the ground level or destroying the heart of the suckers without detaching it from the mother plant is essential. Desuckering can also be achieved by pouring kerosene on the heart of the suckers.
During pruning, it's crucial to ensure that the set sucker will become ready for the next ratoon crop at the time of the harvest of the first crop.
Bananas are shallow-rooted but high feeders, requiring adequate nutrients. Removal of dead leaves is also essential, as it acts as a hiding and breeding ground for pests.
One of the diseases affecting banana plants is cigar-end rot, a fungal disease that causes a dry rot of the flower end, producing an ash-grey wrinkled lesion on the fingers.
The disease can spread during transportation and storage, and the pathogen enters the banana fingers through the flower, causing a dry end rot that spreads from the flower into the tip of the immature banana fingers.
The infection is common during the early days of fruit emergence and spreads along with the growth of the fruits, causing the blackening of the banana skin.
The disease can be controlled by frequent removal and burning of the dead flower parts and the infected fruits to prevent its spread. Ensuring the irrigation water is free from the pathogen is also crucial.
