By Dexter Barro II
Published Feb 2, 2026 12:00 am
The Philippines regained its position as the second largest exporter of bananas in the world last year after overcoming setbacks from pests and adverse weather conditions, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
In its preliminary report on the global banana market, the FAO said the country regained its long-standing rank after slipping to third place in 2023, when it was overtaken by Guatemala, with Costa Rica taking second place the following year.
Based on FAO data, the Philippines shipped out 2.93 million metric tons (MT) of bananas last year, nearly 26 percent higher than the 2.33 million MT recorded in 2024.
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The country’s export figure last year was up 49.5 percent from Costa Rica’s shipments of 1.96 million MT, and 34 percent higher than the 2.18 million MT in exports by Guatemala.
Last year, Ecuador remained the world’s top banana exporter with a total volume of 6.41 million MT. Colombia ranked second with exports reaching 2.48 million MT.
Meanwhile, the Philippines once again led Asia in banana shipments, accounting for more than half of the continent's total exports of 5.19 million MT.
The FAO attributed the rebound in the country’s exports last year to the recovery in banana production from the impact of plant diseases and weather disturbances over the past two years.
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The foreign agency previously reported that the country has been struggling to control the spread of Banana Fusarium Wilt Tropical Race 4 (TR4), a soil-borne fungus that affects banana growth.
Banana plantations are also affected by occasional flooding, which leads to crop losses, higher recovery costs, and reduced export volumes.
Citing industry sources, the FAO said the Department of Agriculture (DA) poured in “substantial investments” to make the country’s banana sector more resilient to these threats.
For one, the FAO noted strong initiatives to expand production in Cagayan Valley, one of the country's top banana-producing regions, through the provision of organic fertilizer and other inputs.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel earlier said the DA will invest more in research, particularly in disease tolerance, breeding strategies, and new technologies to secure the industry’s long-term viability.
In addition, he also committed to advocating for fairer trade terms with export partners to further expand the country’s banana shipments.
