Between January and September 2020, banana exports amounted to $2,079 million, 11% more than what was reported in the same period of 2019, a rise that is explained by the behavior of sales of Honduran, Panamanian, Costa Rican and Guatemalan companies.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graphic"]
From January to June 2020, banana exports amounted to 1,403 million, 14% more than what was reported for the same period in 2019, a rise that can be explained by the sales behavior of Honduran, Costa Rican, Panamanian and Guatemalan companies.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graphic"]
Since 2018, the price of the banana box that Costa Rican producers sell to the German supermarket chain ALDI is falling, there is concern that other European chains will begin to negotiate lower prices.
Representatives of the National Banana Corporation of Costa Rica (Corbana) explained that in 2018 the 18.14 kilo banana box sold to ALDI was quoted at 13.55 Euros. However, in 2019 and 2020 the amount paid for the fruit was reduced, and by 2021 a price of 11.33 euros has been set, which is equivalent to a -16% variation with respect to what was charged in 2018.
In this context of sanitary crisis, banana companies in Costa Rica must ensure the cleaning and disinfection, at least twice a day, of all surfaces and spaces that are considered critical.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) recently approved the protocol for the prevention of covid-19 in the banana sector, which contemplates the preventive and mitigation actions that producers of this fruit for export must comply with to avoid the spread of the disease.
Although several companies have been affected by the measures implemented by governments in the context of the Covid-19 crisis, Costa Rican exports of coffee, pineapple and bananas have so far not faced difficulties with logistics.
Directors of the Coffee Institute of Costa Rica (Icafé) indicated that so far there have been no problems with the availability of containers and that sales abroad are proceeding normally.
In the first nine months of 2019, Central American companies recorded $1.87 billion in banana exports, and sales to Italy grew 9% over the same period in 2018.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphics"]
In the first six months of 2019, Central American companies recorded $590 million in banana exports, and sales to the Netherlands grew 36% over the same period in 2018.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
Guatemalan producers report that their profit margins have been reduced because the threat of the Fusarium R4T pest has forced them to increase their spending on phytosanitary measures and crop biosecurity.
In the first three months of 2019, Central American countries recorded $590 million in banana sales abroad, 6% less than reported in the same period of 2018.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAPHIC caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
After the presence of the pest Fusarium R4T in Colombia was confirmed, in Costa Rica the producers' guild asked the authorities to decree a national state of emergency to prevent the entry of the disease into the country.
Following Panama's decision, the phytosanitary authorities in Guatemala and Costa Rica restricted the entry of banana and plantain-derived materials from any country because of the alert for the pest known as "wilt for fusarium.”
In the case of Guatemala, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA) reported that as part of the protection and preservation of the regional agricultural heritage, the Guatemalan population and national banana and plantain producers were informed that Guatemala had activated prevention and warning measures to prevent the threat of Fusarium Oxysporum race 4 disease.
In the first three months of the year, Central American countries registered $625 million in banana sales abroad, and exports to the Netherlands increased by 38% compared to the same period in 2017.
Figures from the information system on the Fresh or Dry Banana Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
Despite adverse weather conditions, the main producers of bananas have confirmed that demand for the product has stayed within projected levels.
Global demand for bananas remains "constant" and at "stable" levels according to information from leading multinational companies engaged in the production and marketing of the fruit, details a report by Thepacker.com. Countries in the region such as Costa Rica, Honduras and Guatemala remain among the market suppliers.
The Costa Rican Trade Promotion Office has announced opportunities in the Chilean market.
A statement from the Costa Rican Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER):
There is an opportunity to supply organic bananas and pineapples to a Chilean supermarket chain, for a period of one year with a possible extension of the contract.
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