Kelantan is far from being a banana republic in its theoretical sense but Amanah has highlighted the fruit as a part of its agriculture-driven campaign to capture the state come next 14th general elections.

Among others, the party through NGO Amanah Agro led by Kelantan Amanah youth leader Hishamudin Ghazali, had recently conducted a banana planting course in Pasir Mas.

According to Hishamudin, there had been an increase in cases of farmers suffering losses due to a disease that affected banana trees.

“As a result, many banana orchards were abandoned and overgrown with weeds. There were fewer interests to plant banana trees despite high demands for bananas, causing the price to increase.

“Realising the problem, Amanah Agro as an NGO with expertise in cultivating seedlings has taken the initiative to conduct a free course for farmers affected by diseased banana trees,” he told Malaysiakini.

For over 60 participants of the course, Hishamudin said Amanah Agro also introduced a locally produced remedy proven to control the spread of the disease...