Costa Rican banana exports declined during the first semester of the year, Corbana reports.

The organisation, the national public organisation of banana producers of Costa Rica, said sales have decreased by 16 per cent from 52.5 million boxes in 2004 to 44m this year.

The fall in sales has hit around 76 per cent of the countries plantations, it was claimed, with income during the first semester dropping by 15 per cent from $281m to $240m, compared to last year.

Despite this, world banana trade is reported to have grown by six per cent to 337m boxes, showing growth for Ecuador, Colombia, the Philippines and Guatemala.

Peru in particular has seen exports climb by 33 per cent between January and May, compared with the same period last year. Sales were up to $6m, compared with $4.7m last year. The US is the country’s largest market, accounting for 48 per cent of its exports.

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