The total banana export from the Philippine port of Davao amounted to 6,432 containers in October and up to 7,008 containers in November. Prices ranged from $9,60 to $10,25 per kilo FOB in week 49. Prices are expected to increase until January due to the festivities surrounding the Chinese New Year. The current winter climate is affecting the production of bananas in China and so the demand for bananas from Davao has increased. After January, both banana prices and volumes are expected to decrease as the Philippine banana sector will enter its off-season.While there still are some cases of banana diseases such as Sigatoka or Panama disease at Philippine growers, these cases are few. Most growers are well informed on how to control and prevent diseases and are able to grow quality produce.
In general, the Philippine banana export industry has been a stable sector that cooperates well with local growers. The largest markets for Philippine bananas are China, Korea, Japan and Middle Eastern countries. Though there traditionally weren’t that many companies involved with the export of bananas, the last two years have seen a surge in new export companies working from Davao.
On average, Davao exports 1,700 containers of bananas per week to China. Each container can hold up to 1,540 boxes. The boxes are shipped to ports like Qingdao, Shanghai, Dalian and Ningbo, where they are subjected to extensive inspections. Timely arrivals are key for the export companies of Davao, as delayed arrivals lead to spoilage of bananas, loss of customers and a loss of market share.