From a continental perspective, Latin American excluding Mexico plus the Caribbean accounted for the highest dollar value worth of banana exports in 2018 via shipments amounting to $8 billion or 58.7% of international banana sales. European exporters were responsible for 19% of total exported bananas, followed by Asian shippers at 13.3%.
Smaller percentages came from exporters in North America (5.2%), Africa (3.9%) then Oceania (0.002%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 0803 for fresh or dried bananas and plantains.
Bananas Exports by Country
Countries
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of bananas during 2018.
- Ecuador: US$3.2 billion (23.7% of total banana exports)
- Philippines: $1.5 billion (11.1%)
- Guatemala: $1.47 billion (10.8%)
- Costa Rica: $1 billion (7.6%)
- Belgium: $956.3 million (7%)
- Colombia: $866.2 million (6.4%)
- Netherlands: $674.5 million (5%)
- United States: $444.4 million (3.3%)
- Dominican Republic: $365.5 million (2.7%)
- Honduras: $318.1 million (2.3%)
- Panama: $313.8 million (2.3%)
- Mexico: $259 million (1.9%)
- Cameroon: $244.1 million (1.8%)
- Germany: $236.1 million (1.7%)
- Ivory Coast: $173.7 million (1.3%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 88.8% of global banana exports in 2018 by value.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing banana exporters since 2014 were: Panama (up 220.5%), Cameroon (up 216.7%), Netherlands (up 124.7%) and Guatemala (up 103.8%).
Three countries posted declines in their exported banana sales: Germany (down -39.8%), Belgium (down -27.5%) and United States (down -5.5%).
Advantages
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for bananas during 2018. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s banana exports and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- Ecuador: US$3.2 billion (net export surplus up 24.2% since 2014)
- Philippines: $1.5 billion (up 32.3%)
- Guatemala: $1.47 billion (up 103.6%)
- Costa Rica: $1 billion (up 13.3%)
- Colombia: $863.6 million (up 4%)
- Dominican Republic: $365.5 million (up 10.2%)
- Honduras: $317.9 million (up 47.4%)
- Panama: $305.9 million (up 212.5%)
- Mexico: $258.3 million (up 44%)
- Cameroon: $244.1 million (up 216.7%)
- Ivory Coast: $173.7 million (up 24.3%)
- Peru: $165.5 million (up 38.5%)
- Vietnam: $77.7 million (up 589.4%)
- Nicaragua: $75.1 million (up 123.1%)
- India: $56.2 million (up 61%)
Ecuador has the highest surplus in the international trade of bananas. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms Ecuador’s strong competitive advantage for this specific product category.
Opportunities
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for bananas during 2018. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s banana import purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- United States: -US$2.4 billion (net export deficit up 13.8% since 2014)
- Russia: -$1.1 billion (up 18.6%)
- Japan: -$913.4 million (up 12.6%)
- China: -$877.2 million (up 8.5%)
- United Kingdom: -$738.4 million (down -8.5%)
- Germany: -$708.7 million (down -3.6%)
- Italy: -$502.6 million (up 4.2%)
- France: -$452.2 million (up 70.9%)
- Canada: -$423.3 million (down -0.8%)
- Belgium: -$384.6 million (up 99.4%)
- South Korea: -$360.2 million (up 12.3%)
- Netherlands: -$294.3 million (up 568.4%)
- Poland: -$252.7 million (down -6.8%)
- Argentina: -$217.5 million (up 0.5%)
- Romania: -$174 million (up 93%)
The United States incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of bananas. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights America’s strong competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for banana-supplying countries that help satisfy the robust demand from American consumers.
One possible tactic is to introduce innovative ways to store or extend the shelf lives of such perishable goods.
Companies
Bananas Exporting Companies
Below are the world’s biggest banana-supplying conglomerates. Shown within parentheses is the country where the company is headquartered.
- ChiquitaFyffes (Ireland)
- Dole Food Company (United States)
- Fresh Del Monte Produce (United States)
- Grupo Noboa S.A. (Ecuador)
These four giants account for about three-quarters of global banana market share, based on statistics from public interest group BananaLink.
However, a 2014 analysis entitled The Changing Role of Multinational Companies in the Global Banana Trade from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations points out that while market share has concentrated among these corporate titans, their collective percentage shares of global banana exports has shrunk significantly from 70% of total banana exports in 2002 to 44.4% during 2013.
According to global trade intelligence firm Zepol, the following companies are also multinational suppliers of bananas located in the country shown within parentheses:
- Union De Bananeros Ecuatoriano (Ecuador)
- Operaciones Tropicales (United States)
- Standard Fruit De Hondura (Honduras)
Searchable List of Bananas Exporting Countries
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns below.
| Rank | Exporter | Banana Exports (US$) | %World Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ecuador | $3.2 billion | 23.7% |
| 2. | Philippines | $1.5 billion | 11.1% |
| 3. | Guatemala | $1.47 billion | 10.8% |
| 4. | Costa Rica | $1 billion | 7.6% |
| 5. | Belgium | $956.3 million | 7% |
| 6. | Colombia | $866.2 million | 6.4% |
| 7. | Netherlands | $674.5 million | 5% |
| 8. | United States | $444.4 million | 3.3% |
| 9. | Dominican Republic | $365.5 million | 2.7% |
| 10. | Honduras | $318.1 million | 2.3% |
| 11. | Panama | $313.8 million | 2.3% |
| 12. | Mexico | $259 million | 1.9% |
| 13. | Cameroon | $244.1 million | 1.8% |
| 14. | Germany | $236.1 million | 1.7% |
| 15. | Ivory Coast | $173.7 million | 1.3% |
| 16. | France | $170.7 million | 1.3% |
| 17. | Peru | $165.5 million | 1.2% |
| 18. | Spain | $82 million | 0.6% |
| 19. | Vietnam | $78 million | 0.6% |
| 20. | Nicaragua | $75.2 million | 0.6% |
| 21. | Poland | $67 million | 0.5% |
| 22. | Italy | $62.3 million | 0.5% |
| 23. | India | $56.2 million | 0.4% |
| 24. | Greece | $51.5 million | 0.4% |
| 25. | Russia | $50.1 million | 0.4% |
| 26. | Ghana | $46.7 million | 0.3% |
| 27. | Suriname | $44.9 million | 0.3% |
| 28. | Belize | $39.5 million | 0.3% |
| 29. | Slovenia | $38.9 million | 0.3% |
| 30. | Mozambique | $38.8 million | 0.3% |
| 31. | Myanmar (Burma) | $36.4 million | 0.3% |
| 32. | Sweden | $33.2 million | 0.2% |
| 33. | Bolivia | $33.2 million | 0.2% |
| 34. | United Kingdom | $31.1 million | 0.2% |
| 35. | Thailand | $27.2 million | 0.2% |
| 36. | Slovakia | $26.3 million | 0.2% |
| 37. | Pakistan | $22.8 million | 0.2% |
| 38. | Lebanon | $22 million | 0.2% |
| 39. | Brazil | $20.5 million | 0.2% |
| 40. | China | $19.7 million | 0.1% |
| 41. | Austria | $17.9 million | 0.1% |
| 42. | Indonesia | $14.6 million | 0.1% |
| 43. | Latvia | $14.1 million | 0.1% |
| 44. | South Africa | $13 million | 0.1% |
| 45. | Ireland | $11.9 million | 0.1% |
| 46. | Portugal | $11.7 million | 0.1% |
| 47. | Lithuania | $11.5 million | 0.1% |
| 48. | Hungary | $9.9 million | 0.1% |
| 49. | Denmark | $8.9 million | 0.1% |
| 50. | Malaysia | $8.4 million | 0.1% |
| 51. | Paraguay | $8.1 million | 0.1% |
| 52. | Saint Lucia | $7 million | 0.1% |
| 53. | Seychelles | $6.4 million | 0.05% |
| 54. | Finland | $5.8 million | 0.04% |
| 55. | Czech Republic | $4.8 million | 0.03% |
| 56. | Sudan | $4.4 million | 0.03% |
| 57. | Saudi Arabia | $4.2 million | 0.03% |
| 58. | Eswatini | $3.5 million | 0.03% |
| 59. | Taiwan | $2.7 million | 0.02% |
| 60. | Angola | $2.5 million | 0.02% |
| 61. | Croatia | $2.3 million | 0.02% |
| 62. | Georgia | $1.8 million | 0.01% |
| 63. | Sri Lanka | $1.8 million | 0.01% |
| 64. | Hong Kong | $1.5 million | 0.01% |
| 65. | El Salvador | $1.2 million | 0.01% |
| 66. | St Vincent/Grenadines | $1.1 million | 0.01% |
| 67. | Bulgaria | $780,000 | 0.01% |
| 68. | Uganda | $727,000 | 0.01% |
| 69. | Zimbabwe | $723,000 | 0.01% |
| 70. | Bangladesh | $548,000 | 0.004% |
| 71. | Serbia | $520,000 | 0.004% |
| 72. | Luxembourg | $465,000 | 0.003% |
| 73. | Cambodia | $365,000 | 0.003% |
| 74. | Jamaica | $335,000 | 0.002% |
| 75. | Laos | $320,000 | 0.002% |
| 76. | Chile | $306,000 | 0.002% |
| 77. | Rwanda | $265,000 | 0.002% |
| 78. | Romania | $255,000 | 0.002% |
| 79. | Oman | $246,000 | 0.002% |
| 80. | Jordan | $205,000 | 0.002% |
| 81. | Canada | $187,000 | 0.001% |
| 82. | Guyana | $180,000 | 0.001% |
| 83. | Australia | $157,000 | 0.001% |
| 84. | Dominica | $154,000 | 0.001% |
| 85. | Tanzania | $150,000 | 0.001% |
| 86. | Morocco | $87,000 | 0.001% |
| 87. | Kazakhstan | $85,000 | 0.001% |
| 88. | Venezuela | $79,000 | 0.001% |
| 89. | United Arab Emirates | $77,000 | 0.001% |
| 90. | Burundi | $69,000 | 0.001% |
| 91. | Cyprus | $69,000 | 0.001% |
| 92. | Madagascar | $64,000 | 0.0005% |
| 93. | New Zealand | $63,000 | 0.0005% |
| 94. | Kyrgyzstan | $50,000 | 0.0004% |
| 95. | Egypt | $50,000 | 0.0004% |
| 96. | Belarus | $42,000 | 0.0003% |
| 97. | Kenya | $41,000 | 0.0003% |
| 98. | Uruguay | $41,000 | 0.0003% |
| 99. | Zambia | $40,000 | 0.0003% |
| 100. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $35,000 | 0.0003% |
| 101. | Turkey | $34,000 | 0.0002% |
| 102. | Samoa | $31,000 | 0.0002% |
| 103. | Albania | $28,000 | 0.0002% |
| 104. | Switzerland | $23,000 | 0.0002% |
| 105. | Estonia | $22,000 | 0.0002% |
| 106. | North Macedonia | $18,000 | 0.0001% |
| 107. | Syrian Arab Republic | $16,000 | 0.0001% |
| 108. | Central African Rep | $13,000 | 0.0001% |
| 109. | Iceland | $12,000 | 0.0001% |
| 110. | Democr. Rep. Congo | $10,000 | 0.0001% |
| 111. | Singapore | $9,000 | 0.0001% |
| 112. | Senegal | $9,000 | 0.0001% |
| 113. | Bermuda | $7,000 | 0.0001% |
| 114. | Fiji | $7,000 | 0.0001% |
| 115. | Afghanistan | $4,000 | 0.00003% |
| 116. | South Korea | $4,000 | 0.00003% |
| 117. | Mali | $4,000 | 0.00003% |
| 118. | Montenegro | $4,000 | 0.00003% |
| 119. | Tunisia | $4,000 | 0.00003% |
| 120. | Tonga | $4,000 | 0.00003% |
| 121. | Armenia | $3,000 | 0.00002% |
| 122. | Iran | $3,000 | 0.00002% |
| 123. | Guam | $3,000 | 0.00002% |
| 124. | Guinea | $3,000 | 0.00002% |
| 125. | Togo | $2,000 | 0.00001% |
| 126. | Ethiopia | $1,000 | 0.00001% |
| 127. | Congo | $1,000 | 0.00001% |
See also Pineapples Exports by Country, Bananas Imports by Country and Ecuador’s Bananas Exports by Country and Top Almonds Exporters by Country
Research Sources:
BananaLInk, Multinationals Lose Grip on Global banana exports. Accessed on April 15, 2019
Bloomberg Business, With Chiquita-Fyffes Merger, Dole Will No Longer Be Top Banana (March 10, 2014). Accessed April 15, 2019
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, The Changing Role of Multinational Companies in the Global Banana Trade (2014). Accessed on April 15, 2019
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 26, 2019
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on April 15, 2019
The World Factbook, Field Listing: Exports – Commodities, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on April 15, 2019
Zepol’s company summary highlights by HTS code. Accessed on April 15, 2019