Banana

"What comes after Cavendish?" is a central question for Yelloway, Chiquita, and KeyGene's breeding partnership. The team recently presented a comprehensive banana pan-genome at Fruit Logistica, which could greatly speed up the development of disease-resistant varieties. read more

Ireland's trade in fresh produce continues to rely heavily on imports, especially for fruit categories that are not produced domestically, according to data from the Central Statistics Office for 2024. Per capita consumption figures suggest that bananas are the most imported fresh produce item, at 18kg per person. read more

Domestic exports reached US$19.5 million in January 2026, which marked a 12.7% increase, equivalent to US$2.2 million, compared to January 2025. Bananas played a significant role in driving this growth, with export earnings from bananas rising by US$1.7 million, from US$6.1 million in January 2025 to US$7.8 million. read more

Costa Rica is well-known as a major player in the global market for pineapples and bananas, ranking first and third, respectively, among global exporters. However, its export portfolio goes far beyond these two crops, including root and tuber vegetables, melons, watermelons, mangoes, and various other products. read more

The Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) has informed Philippines President Bongbong Marcos in a letter that the country could potentially lose US$200 million in revenue if the conflict in the Middle East escalates, as reported by OneNews. read more

The Guatemalan banana sector is consistently bolstering its position in the global market, particularly in Europe, where certain producers have expanded their presence in recent years as part of a strategy to diversify their commercial activities. One such producer is Grupo Hame, a family-owned company from Guatemala... read more

Red bananas have recently become available in retail stores in Belarus, providing a new option in terms of appearance and flavor compared to traditional varieties. These bananas are currently being sold at an Evroopt store in Minsk, with imports coming from Ecuador. The retail price is 10.99 rubles per kilogram (US$3.40), which is a unique offering for consumers looking to try something different. read more

Banana growers worldwide are facing multiple challenges, including dealing with the persistent soil-borne fungus Tropical Race 4, as well as diseases like Moko and Black Sigatoka. In addition, issues such as water scarcity, increasing costs, declining average yields, and the growing market demand for more sustainable farming practices are also causing concerns for them. read more

Bananas are one of the most consumed, yet also the most fragile, fruits and vegetables. The logistical challenges, varying ripening processes, and high demands for quality, traceability, and certification make the supply chain complex. Therefore, the Austrian IT company activeIT developed the FIPS software system,... read more