Bananas and Food Security - Bioversity International

Asie - Pacifique / Asia - Pacific : P. Viswanath et al.
with highly saline irrigation water also show salt injury symptoms due to accumulation of
Na+ and Cl- ions in their leaves.
Harvesting
Banana bunches are harvested so that the fruit reaches the market in a mature, green
condition. They are then artificially ripened by ethylene gas in PAMAP (Public Authority
for Marketing of Agricultural Products) ripening centres before being sold to the retail
markets. Farmers judge maturity on the basis of disappearance of angularity, finger
dullness, sound made when tapped, shedding of floral relics, days to maturity and
proximity to markets. Harvesting is done manually and a cut is made in the side of the
pseudostem nearest to the bunch with a knife: the bunch is lowered onto the shoulder
and severed.
Post harvest and marketing
Transport
Most farms do not have cold storage facilities of their own and thus bring the produce to
the nearest PAMAP centers by their own pick-up vans.
The Public Authority for Marketing of
Agricultural Products (PAMAP)
Most bananas produced in Oman are marketed through PAMAP. This was established in
1981 and began to operate in 1985 (anonymous 1986). Its main objective is to encourage
Omani farmers to increase the production of fruit, vegetables and other agricultural
crops and improve the produce in terms of quality, quantity, and availability. PAMAP
began commercial operations in the second half of 1985, with a comprehensive network
consisting of six distribution centres and 12 collection centres, established in the Muscat
area and other regions. The Headquarters at Ghala controls activities at the centre. All
the centres have cold storage facilities. Refrigerated trucks are used to transport
agricultural produce from collection centres and marketing outlets. PAMAP supervises
operation and management of the banana ripening and packing factories at Salalah for
the Southern region and Suwaiq on the Batinah coast.
Marketing of bananas by PAMAP
Banana handling and marketing is controlled by PAMAP that is obliged to purchase all
the bananas offered to it. The produce is transported to the banana factories in Salalah
and Suwaiq at the farmer’s cost. One tenth of the weight is deducted for the stalk. The
total value is then computed and immediately paid out to the farmer. Bananas are
washed, treated with fungicides, packed into 10 kg-boxes, and sent to the ripening
rooms. After ripening, the produce is distributed to various PAMAP centres in the
country by refrigerated truck.
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