During 2022, Ecuador exported US$3.52 billion worth of bananas delivered to 71 countries worldwide. That dollar amount reflects an 8.8% increase compared to 2018 and a flatlining 0.7% upturn from 2021 to 2022.
The latest metrics solidify Ecuador’s position as the leading exporter of bananas ahead of sellers located in the Philippines, Guatemala and Costa Rica.
From a continental perspective, European countries bought $1.78 billion worth of exported bananas from Ecuador equaling 50.4% of overall such import purchases. Buyers in Asia were a distant second consuming 21.1% of Ecuador’s exported bananas trailed by North American importers at 16.2%, those in Latin America at 7.9% then Africa at 3.6% and Oceania at 0.7% mostly New Zealand.
Below, you will discover more insights on worldwide demand for Ecuador’s bananas exports both at the country and continent level.
Ecuador’s Bananas Exports by Country
Below are the 15 countries that spent the most on exported bananas from Ecuador during 2022.
- Russia: US$779.8 million (22% of Ecuador’s exported bananas)
- United States: $570.1 million (16.2%)
- Netherlands: $266 million (7.6%)
- Türkiye: $185 million (5.3%)
- Argentina: $145 million (4.1%)
- Chile: $119.9 million (3.4%)
- Saudi Arabia: $119.7 million (3.4%)
- Italy: $117.8 million (3.3%)
- Belgium: $114.9 million (3.3%)
- China: $101.5 million (2.9%)
- Germany: $97.8 million (2.8%)
- Iraq: $82.2 million (2.3%)
- United Arab Emirates: $76 million (2.2%)
- Greece: $70.6 million (2%)
- Japan: $65.4 million (1.9%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 82.7% of bananas exported from Ecuador in 2022. All told, Ecuador exported bananas to an overall total of 71 different countries or territories.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing bananas exporters since 2018 were: Netherlands (up 178.9%), United Arab Emirates (up 73.3%), Iraq (up 67%) and Chile (up 40.6%).
Four major suppliers posted declines in their exported bananas sales, namely: Germany (down -60% from 2018), Italy (down -55.7%), and China (down -21.8%) and Belgium (down -1.1%).
Importers of Ecuador’s Exported Bananas in Europe
Twenty-six of Ecuador’s 29 trading partners in Europe purchased at least $1 million worth of Ecuadorean bananas in 2022.
The 15 top customers below consumed 96.6% of Ecuadorian bananas exported to Europe.
- Russia: US$779.8 million (43.9% of Europe’s total)
- Netherlands: $266.4 million (15%)
- Italy: $117.8 million (6.6%)
- Belgium: $114.9 million (6.5%)
- Germany: $97.8 million (5.5%)
- Greece: $70.6 million (4%)
- Sweden: $58.3 million (3.3%)
- United Kingdom: $45.2 million (2.5%)
- Slovenia: $35.9 million (2%)
- Croatia: $32.9 million (1.9%)
- Spain: $28.4 million (1.6%)
- Bulgaria: $20.7 million (1.2%)
- Norway: $17.4 million (1%)
- Albania: $15.7 million (0.9%)
- Poland: $13.7 million (0.8%)
- Ukraine: $12.2 million (0.7%)
- Lithuania: $11.7 million (0.7%)
- Finland: $8.3 million (0.5%)
- Malta: $8 million (0.4%)
- Montenegro: $3.9 million (0.2%)
- Romania: $3.8 million (0.2%)
- Portugal: $3.4 million (0.2%)
- France: $3 million (0.2%)
- Latvia: $1.6 million (0.1%)
- Estonia: $1.5 million (0.1%)
- Cyprus: $1.4 million (0.1%)
- Ireland: $891,000 (0.1%)
- Serbia: $72,000 (0.004%)
- Moldova: $9,000 (0.001%)
The value of Ecuador’s exported bananas sent to Europe flatlined via a -0.4% drop over the 5-year period starting in 2018 and fell by -3.7% from 2021 to 2022.
Importers of Ecuador’s Exported Bananas in Asia
Eighteen of Ecuador’s 23 banana customers in Asia imported at least $1 million worth of Ecuadorean bananas in 2022. The 15 top customers below represent 99% of Ecuador’s total bananas exported to Asia.
- Türkiye: US$185.3 million (24.9% of Asia’s total)
- Saudi Arabia: $119.7 million (16.1%)
- China: $101.5 million (13.6%)
- Iraq: $82.2 million (11.1%)
- United Arab Emirates: $76 million (10.2%)
- Japan: $65.4 million (8.8%)
- Georgia: $39.7 million (5.3%)
- Kuwait: $17.1 million (2.3%)
- Jordan: $12.4 million (1.7%)
- Qatar: $8.7 million (1.2%)
- Hong Kong: $7.7 million (1%)
- South Korea: $7.3 million (1%)
- Oman: $4.8 million (0.7%)
- Azerbaijan: $4.3 million (0.6%)
- Uzbekistan: $3.8 million (0.5%)
- Kyrgyzstan: $3 million (0.4%)
- Armenia: $2.1 million (0.3%)
- Tajikistan: $1.2 million (0.2%)
- Bahrain: $483,000 (0.1%)
- Kazakhstan: $375,000 (0.1%)
- Lebanon: $250,000 (0.03%)
- Singapore: $205,000 (0.03%)
- Cambodia: $5,000 (0.001%)
The value of Ecuador’s exported bananas delivered in Asia increased by 7.6% over the 5-year period starting in 2018 and gained 7.6% from 2021 to 2022.
Importers of Ecuador’s Exported Bananas in North America
Buying US$570.1 million worth in 2022, the United States of America consumed 99.7% of Ecuadorean bananas exported to North America as measured in US dollars.
No Ecuadorean bananas were bought by Mexico while the more distant Canada did purchase $1.6 million worth of bananas from Ecuador during 2022.
The value of Ecuador’s exported bananas sent to North America increased by 24.8% over the 5-year period starting in 2018 and grew by 11.1% from 2021 to 2022.
Importers of Ecuador’s Exported Bananas in Latin America
A total US$278.9 million worth of Ecuador’s bananas was delivered to Latin America (excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean) or 7.9% of Ecuador’s worldwide exported bananas.
Five of Ecuador’s 8 trading partners in Latin America (excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean) imported at least $1 million worth of Ecuadorean bananas in 2022.
- Argentina: US$145.3 million (52.1% of Latin America’s total)
- Chile: $119.9 million (43%)
- Uruguay: $8.7 million (3.1%)
- Colombia: $3.3 million (1.2%)
- Costa Rica: $1.3 million (0.5%)
- Brazil: $68,000 (0.02%)
- Peru: $2,000 (0.001%)
- Panama: $1,000 (0.0004%)
The value of Ecuador’s exported bananas sent to Latin America and the Caribbean increased by 30.9% over the 5-year period starting in 2018 and accelerating by 15.5% from 2021 to 2022.
Importers of Ecuador’s Exported Bananas in Africa
Six countries in Africa imported a total US$128.2 million worth of Ecuadorean exported bananas in 2022.
- Algeria: US$52.3 million (40.8% of Africa’s total)
- Libya: $29.7 million (23.19%)
- Morocco: $27.7 million (21.6%)
- Tunisia: $13.1 million (10.2%)
- Egypt: $3.8 million (3%)
- South Africa: $1.5 million (1.2%)
The value of Ecuador’s exported bananas sold to buyers in Africa accelerated by 106.1% over the 5-year period starting in 2018 but declining by -31.5% compared to 2021.
Importers of Ecuador’s Exported Bananas in Oceania
In addition, Ecuador sold $26.3 million worth of bananas to New Zealand in 2022. The only other Oceanian country to import Ecuadorean bananas was Australia whose purchases totaled $18,000.
The overall value of Ecuador’s bananas exported to Oceania appreciated by 8.8% since 2018 and slowed to a 0.07% year-over-year upturn from 2021.
See also Ecuador’s Top 10 Exports, Ecuador’s Top 10 Imports, Bananas Exports by Country and Bananas Imports by Country
Research Sources
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 29, 2018
Wikipedia, Banana. Accessed on August 29, 2018
Wikipedia, Ecuador. Accessed on August 29, 2018