The Philippines proved the second largest banana exporter in 2022, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The FAO said the Philippines shipped 2.3 million tons of the fruit, making the country the second largest supplier after global leader Ecuador.
The FAO noted, however, that while the country’s banana shipments were second largest, it actually represented a 4-percent drop from 2.4 million tons of the fruit in 2021.
Banana production was severely affected by the spread of the fusarium wilt tropical race 4 disease and by the high cost of inputs such as fertilizers on small-scale banana producers in the Philippines.
The disease more commonly known as Panama disease, is caused by the soil-borne fungus fusarium oxysporum that enters the plant’s roots and colonizes the xylem vessels, blocking the flow of water and nutrients that then causes the wilting and death of the crop.
The FAO report said small scale banana producers in the country struggled to procure the necessary agricultural inputs to meet the quality requirements of export markets.
Total global export of bananas reached 19.1 million tons, 12 percent of which was contributed by the Philippines.
The bulk of global banana exports came from Ecuador with 5.8 million tons or 30.4 percent and three other Latin American countries closely trailed Philippine exports.
Costa Rica exported 2.1 million tons while Guatemala and Colombia had 2.2 million tons each.
The FAO report pointed out China’s banana imports from the Philippines dropped 14 percent in 2022 due to production difficulties during the period.
FAO noted China previously imported 50 to 75 percent of its banana imports from the Philippines but this dropped to 40 percent in 2022.
