Shipments up 1.77 per cent in the first three months of 2025 compared to the year-earlier period
Ecuadorean banana exports grew 1.77 per cent to 104.81mn boxes for the first quarter of 2025 compared to the year-earlier period, according to figures from the Association of Banana Exporters of Ecuador (Aebe).
The association said the recovery came despite shipping restrictions leading to a marked drop in shipments to Algeria, Ecuador’s biggest market in Africa. Aebe said exporters compensated for the loss of this market by boosting shipments to other markets, notably the European Union (+4.83 per cent), Russia (+9.19 per cent), the Southern Cone (+17.14 per cent), and Asia (+18.45 per cent).
Within the EU, there was a significant growth in shipments to France (+573.62 per cent) and Poland (+40.19 per cent), despite challenges posed by container shortages and delays, and competition from Colombian bananas. However, these factors did impact exports to Italy (-19.21 per cent) and Spain (-78.11 per cent).
An additional 1.82mn boxes were shipped to Russia in the first three months of this year, heralding a partial recovery following last year’s contraction in shipments. However, volumes were still below 2023 levels, when 23.97mn boxes were exported in the first quarter, as compared to 21.59mn in Q1 of 2025.
Much of the growth in Asia was due to increased shipments to China (+26.47 per cent), reflecting the impact of the free trade agreement signed between the two countries last year.
