The Philippines was seventh among the world’s exporters of fresh banana in 2010, according
the Situationer on Fresh Banana, presented by the Bureau of Export Trade Promotion of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) last May 5.
Of the $8,422 million total world exports, Ecuador had 23.77% share, Belgium 15.18%, Colombia 8.88%, Costa Rica 8.33%, USA 4.75%, Guatemala 4.57%, Germany 4.52%, Philippines 3.79%, Honduras 3%, and France 2.9%.
The DTI said most of these countries are not growing bananas but only trading, affecting the Philippines’ export markets such as Japan, which has waned since it started importing from Peru and Mexico.
In fact, ironically most of the exporting countries were also the world’s major importers of fresh banana in 2010.
Out of the $12,158 million total world imports, the USA took the lead among banana importers with 17.49%; followed by Belgium 12.96%, Germany 7.21%, Japan 6.94%, United Kingdom 6.23%, Russian Federation 5.79%, Italy 4.09%, France 3.25%, Iran 3.22%, and Canada 2.92%.
PHL top China’s exporter
The Philippines was tops among China’s major supplying countries of fresh bananas in 2011 with $205.4 million or 83.2% of China’s total imports of $246.8 million in 2010.
Following the Philippines, Myanmar had a share of $24.4 million or 9.9% of China’s total imported value; Thailand had $5.8 million or 2.4%; Vietnam $4.6 million or 1.9%; and, Costa Rica $3.7 million or 1.5%.
China is tops among importing countries of fresh bananas with high growth rates in 2011, followed by Korea, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Kuwait, Qatar, and Turkey.
China had 25-30% of the Philippines’ total exported fresh bananas to the world last year, according to Stephen A. Antig, president and executive director of the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association.
“Those were the days, my friend, we thought would never end…” remember the song?[Lorie A. Cascaro]
