LAM DONG — Fruit fans are now able to enjoy the famed Lababanana grown in the Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) province of Lam Dong that
were once served to Nguyen Dynasty kings but virtually wiped out by disease
towards the end of last century.
Laba were introduced to Lam Ha District’s Phu Son Commune in
the early 1920s by French colonists. They were famed for their taste and scent
and regularly graced the royal dining table.
The bananas were later grown in Da Lat, Duc Trong and Don Duong
districts. In their heyday, Laba were being grown on around 100ha in Lam Dong
Province.
However, in the latter part of the 20th Century, the area of
banana cultivation fell markedly to just 20-30ha due in part to poor seedlings,
and attacks by fungi and insects.
To rescue the plants from extinction, the provincial Department
of Science and Technology has produced a sturdier variety that is resistant to
disease.
The Don Duong District Chamber of Agriculture and Rural
Development has also been working with the Southern Fruit Research Institute to
find ways to regenerate disease-resistant seedlings.
The chamber’s Hoang Van Hung said a competition was organised
in the province to find the best Laba variety. The plants were then taken to the
institute to propagate and test for disease resistance.
"This will help limit the disease on seedlings to produce
better plants," he said.
The Faculty of Biology at the HCM City University of Natural
Sciences has also succeeded in regenerating laba plants from original seedlings
after five years of research.
The project’s head, Dr Duong Cong Kien, said his team used
advanced technology to produce a sturdy fast-growing variety of Laba.
"From the results of our research, thousands of bananaseedlings have been produced for farmers in the region," Kien said.
Building a brand name
Fruit farmers in Lam Dong Province said they can sell everything
they grow because Laba are so popular. Bananas typically fetch VND4,000 per kilo
– VND200 – VND400 higher than non-Laba varieties.
Ha Ai, an ethnic Churu, grows bananas on 0.9ha in Don Duong
District, which he says brings in an income of VND50-60 million
(US$3,100-$3,700) a year.
"This is seven to eight times more than from growing
corn," he said.
Nguyen Van Phu, who also grows bananas in Don Duong District,
won an award in a competition held in the province to find the best bananaseedlings. He said growing bananas was easy because they are not labour
intensive.
"The banana doesn’t require a lot of care and bananas can
be harvested all year round. They are also tasty and nutritious."
But he warns that some unscrupulous farmers are trying to pass
off non-Laba varieties as laba.
"Many sellers mix other kinds of banana with Laba to get a
higher price," Phu said. "The name of the laba banana has been
seriously affected and the banana itself is facing the threat of losing its good
reputation." Laba are currently only grown in Lam Dong Province but plans
are underfoot to expand cultivation to other regions.
Director of Lam Dong Province’s Department of Science and
Technology, Truong Tro, said that along with developing new Laba varieties, his
department was also trying to establish the banana’s trademark. — VNS