The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) expects a drop in Philippine banana export numbers for last year, primarily due to the spread of the Banana Fusarium Wilt Tropical Race 4 (TR4) disease and logistical complications. Preliminary results of the FAO's 2023 banana market review suggest a roughly three percent decrease to 2.206 million tons, still putting the Philippines the position of third-largest global banana exporter, behind Guatemala and Ecuador.
So despite these challenges, the Philippines remains the primary banana exporter in Asia. The FAO data indicates that approximately 15,000 plantations in the Philippines were affected by TR4 in 2023, causing serious concerns for the future of the country's banana industry. Logistical difficulties impacting the quality of Filipino bananas imported to Japan also posed additional challenges.
Global banana exports saw a slight improvement, increasing to 19.17 million tons from 19.12 million tons in 2022. However, the FAO noted significant divergence among key global trade partners due to varying weather conditions and economic backgrounds. The spread of TR4 in the Philippines and its alarming presence in Peru and Venezuela continued to cause production losses and financial strain.
Source: philstar.com