Aligning Banana Production With Nature

High labour costs have put banana production in South Africa under increasing pressure. but a more immediate and serious threat comes in the form of the deadly Panama disease. Arno Cilliers of Mpumalanga is tackling the problem by focusing on soil health, thereby improving yield and sustainability. Lindi Botha reports.

- Lindi Botha

The rolling hills of the Kiepersol area in Mpumalanga are covered in lush banana orchards. Belying the appearance of this subtropical paradise is an industry grappling with the effects of deadly Panama disease and rising input costs. But with the next generation entering the industry, a new energy is seeking solutions by going back to nature.

Arno Cilliers, now in his sixth year of banana production, is replacing traditional farming methods that ultimately resulted in degraded soils. He is currently putting 70ha of bananas through a test phase, bringing in new, environmentally friendly methods for greater sustainability.

He notes that the area (situated in the microclimate of Burgers Hall, adjacent to Kiepersol) is high-producing, but does not achieve the yields of other, warmer areas further east.

“We have a longer production cycle than other areas, but our banana bunches are big enough for us to remain profitable. If you farm correctly on the right soil and with the right technology, then you can make it work,” he says.

OPTIMAL PRODUCTION

Cilliers’s banana production cycle lasts for about 14 months, during which time each tree produces one bunch of bananas. After harvest, the bearing stem is cut down and the follow-up stem, called a sucker, is allowed to continue growing to produce the next harvest. This cycle can continue for several years, with most trees producing for up to 15 years before the orchard is replanted.

When starting a new cycle, it is important to cross-rip the soil as deep as possible, says Cilliers.