The Philippines has reclaimed its long-standing position as the world's second-largest banana exporter in 2025, shipping 2.93 million metric tons (MT) of bananas globally — a remarkable 26 percent increase from the 2.33 million MT recorded in 2024 — after overcoming significant setbacks from plant diseases and adverse weather conditions, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The country's resurgence saw it overtake both Costa Rica, whose exports reached 1.96 million MT (49.5 percent lower than the Philippines), and Guatemala, which shipped 2.18 million MT (34 percent lower), after temporarily losing its second-place ranking to Guatemala in 2023 and Costa Rica in 2024.
Ecuador remained the world's top banana exporter with 6.41 million MT, followed by Colombia at 2.48 million MT, while the Philippines once again led Asia in banana shipments, accounting for more than half of the continent's total exports of 5.19 million MT.
The FAO attributed the Philippines' recovery to substantial government investments by the Department of Agriculture (DA) aimed at making the banana sector more resilient to Banana Fusarium Wilt Tropical Race 4 (TR4) — a devastating soil-borne fungus — and occasional flooding, including initiatives to expand production in Cagayan Valley through organic fertilizer distribution and research into disease tolerance and new breeding technologies.
However, the Philippines faces mounting competition in its crucial Japanese market (which accounts for 75-80 percent of Philippine banana exports) from Vietnam, which will gain tariff-free access to Japan starting in 2028 under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), while Philippine bananas still face tariffs of 18 percent (April-September) and 8 percent (October-March), prompting Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel to negotiate for lower duties to protect the country's market share.
