Banana exports to the EU and US rise in 2018

An increase in banana exports to the EU and the US was recorded in the first half of 2018. Imports to the EU between January and August were up 4%, to 4 million tons, while shipments to the US between January and September were up 9% to 3.2 million tons, according to USDA and Eurostat data.

Europe’s main supplier, Ecuador, saw shipments increase 12% to 1.7 million tons, while the third largest supplier, Costa Rica, boosted exports by 8%, to 837,000 tons. Falls were recorded for Colombia (-2%, 902,000 tons), the Dominican Republic (-4%, 198,000 tons), and the Ivory Coast (-1%, 197,000 tons).

The main banana supplier of the US, Guatemala, increased shipments by 6%, to 1.4 million tons, while the second largest supplier, Costa Rica, reported a 4% rise, to 649,000 tons. However, the number-three supplier, Honduras, registered 4% lower shipments (360,000 tons). Ecuadorian banana exports soared 39% to 353,000 tons, while Mexican banana exports to the US rocketed 22%, to 241,000 tons.