Shippers benefit from production problems in Central America and Asia
Ecuador exported 36.59mn boxes of bananas in January 2026, a 9.66 per cent increase on the year-earlier period according to data from Acorbanec.
The European Union remained the main destination for Ecuadorean bananas, accounting for 34.36 per cent of total shipments. It was followed by Russia, with 22.05 per cent; the US with 14.71 per cent; the Middle East, with 11.37 per cent; and East Asia, with 5.28 per cent.
The association said new acreage entering into production increased the availability of exportable fruit. The volume of bananas packed between weeks 41 and 45 of 2025, along with the harvests from weeks 1 to 5 of 2026, showed a 1.39 per cent increase compared to the previous year. Acorbanec reported normal physiological development of the plantations and a higher bunch yield (ratio) than in 2025.
Since the first quarter of 2025, banana production in Central American countries, such as Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Honduras, has decreased due to climatic factors, impacting their exports. This prompted multinationals to ramp up their demand for Ecuadorean bananas – a trend that continued through January of this year – primarily to supply the EU and US markets.
In January 2026, shipments to the EU grew by 15.57 per cent, with increases in countries such as Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Greece, Finland, Sweden, Cyprus, Lithuania, and Malta.
Exports to the US, meanwhile, increased by 15.32 per cent compared to January 2025. This performance was also influenced by the elimination, in November 2025, of the 15 per cent tariff on Ecuadorean bananas.
Regarding Asia, exports to China grew by 22.79 per cent last month, aided by lower production in countries such as the Philippines, Cambodia, and Vietnam, as well as in China itself, due to climatic and phytosanitary factors. Meanwhile, shipments to Turkey increased by 55 per cent year-on-year in January.
“With these results, Ecuadorean bananas begin 2026 with a significant boost from increased domestic production and fewer competitors, consolidating their position in key international markets,” Acorbanec said.
