Bananas and Food Security - Bioversity International

332 Les productions bananières / Bananas and food security – Session 2
South Pacific
Chiapas is the most important banana producing State in Mexico. It contributes 30% of
the total area. It has a hot sub-humid climate with average temperatures of about
26-27°C; the annual rainfall varies from 1500 to 2500 mm with 4-5 dry months a year,
requiring irrigation to obtain good yields. Most bananas are produced between 20 and
80 masl. Two clones of Giant Dwarf (Cavendish AAA) are produced in the State
occupying the 90% of the total area planted with this crop, the remaining 10% being
planted with Macho or Horn (AABp). Three levels of technology can be identified in this
region:
High technological level: plantations have irrigation and sprinkling systems,
cableways, packing plants and refrigerated rooms. The plantation sizes vary from 50 to
250 ha. Plantations often concentrate in rural production unions (800 to 1200 ha). These
unions represent 63% of the total State area and obtain the highest productivity levels
(70 tons/ha) and export quality.
Medium technological level: the plantations occupy areas of 25 to 50 ha with
application of a technological package with limited equipment, inputs and technical
assistance. These plantations have furrow irrigation systems and occupy 26% of the total
State area.
Low technological level: the medium size of these plantations is 10 to 25 ha. They
are generally undergoing technological transition process. Plantations at this level
occupy 11% of the total State area.
Central Pacific
This region includes five States presenting similar climatic characteristics, with
prevailing dry hot climate and annual rainfall from 700 to 1100 mm, with seven to eight
dry months. During this dry period, the production can decrease 80% in the plantations
without irrigation. The average temperature is 26-28°C. However, there is an annual
accumulation of approximately 65 hours with temperatures below 15ºC, which causes
physical damage to the fruit. The Musa production zone is situated at altitudes 1-60 masl
in all the States, with the exception of the Nayarit State, where the cultivated area is
situated at 500 masl.
According to the production systems, the region could be divided into tree areas:
The first area comprises the States Michoacán, Colima and Jalisco, which represents
15% of the total banana and plantain area. The production system is performed under
irrigated conditions; about 60% of plantations are intercropped with the copra palm
(Coco nucifera L.). The most cultivated clone is the Giant Dwarf.
The second area comprises the Nayarit State, which occupies the 9% of the total
banana and plantain area. This State is the most important in the production of Manzano
(AAB); 50% of the area under Musa in this State is planted with this cultivar. The other
cultivars are Pera (ABB) (19%), Macho or Horn (AABp) (15%) and Giant Dwarf
(Cavendish AAA) (15%).
Ninety percent of the production is under rainy conditions and only 10% are irrigated.
Nayarit State has the lowest production average per hectare; it undergoes today the