Haiti to start up organic banana production for EU market

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Haiti to start up organic banana production for EU market

Haiti will soon export organic bananas to Europe with support from French technicians, following a recent agreement between the two countries' governments, website lafranceagricole.fr reported. banana_66284746 small

The story said French President François Hollande on Tuesday signed several deals boosting trade, energy and education ties with Haiti during a visit to the Caribbean nation.

As part of the agreements, local banana growers in the northeast of the country will receive technical assistance for at least a year from the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) and the French Institute for Development Research (IRD) to grow and export organic fruit.

Lafranceagricole.fr reported the farmers would be trained in irrigation and soil management in order to grow bananas without chemical fertilizers on 1,000 hectares of land.

The opportunity to sell the fruit in the European market will be a golden opportunity for local farmers given fellow Caribbean nation Martinique has seen its banana plantations hit by disease, the story said.

Other agreements reached between the two countries include technical assistance for the energy sector in Haiti, where the average citizen reportedly receives an average of 12 hours' electricity a day, and funding for a school of excellence that will focus on agribusiness and tourism.

Photo: www.shutterstock.com

www.freshfruitportal.com

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