The Philippines has officially lost the 3rd spot in the global banana export market to Colombia in 2024, which shipped out 29,000 metric tons more than the Philippines.
Colombia exported 2.31 million metric tons to the world while the Philippines ssent only 2.28 MMT, said the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
Ecuador remained the world’s top exporter of bananas, with shipments reaching 5.76 MMT last year. Guatemala trailed behind with 2.6 MMT of banana exports.
The FAO report said the spread of the Banana Fusarium Wilt Tropical Race 4 (TR4) disease continued to drag down Philippine output, with banana growers bearing the brunt of “substantial costs” to prevent the disease.
Philippine banana exports last year fell by 3.1 percent to 2.28 MMT, lower than the 2.35 MMT it shipped in 2023.
Despite this, the report noted that the Philippines remained the top exporter of bananas in Asia, accounting for over half of the shipments from the region, reported Business Mirror.
“Supplies from the Philippines, the main exporter from the region, reportedly continue to be affected by the spread of TR4 in the country,” the report read.
The FAO also noted that key Asian markets, such as China and Japan, saw a reduction in their banana purchases from the Philippines “due to supply shortages.”
“Available information suggests that imports into China were hindered by supply shortages experienced in Cambodia and the Philippines, from where China procured some 50 to 60 percent of banana imports combined in recent years,” it said.
“Preliminary monthly trade data show that Chinese imports of Filipino bananas dropped by 39 percent year-on-year over the first nine months of 2024.”
FAO also noted that available trade data from January to July 2024 showed a 4-percent year-on-year decline in Japan’s banana imports from the Philippines.
It added these were not offset by higher imports from Ecuador and Vietnam despite fast growth in procurements from these two countries.
“While demand for bananas in the country remained relatively stable, import quantities continued to be reduced by the production shortages experienced in the Philippines, from where Japan typically sources some 75 to 80 percent of its banana imports.”