Banana revival signals export boom ahead

The Philippines’ return as the world’s second-largest banana exporter is driving expectations of a wider agricultural export surge.

“Many thought the banana industry was in decline. This is proof of concept that when interventions are done right, we can reverse the trend,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said Tuesday. He added that the DA plans to scale this strategy across other high-value crops.

The latest FAO report attributes the rebound to a surge in Philippine banana supplies after years of weather- and disease-related setbacks.

The DA said the banana rebound marks a pivot from volume farming to export-driven value creation.

Investments in Cagayan Valley, supported by DA-provided organic fertilizer and planting materials, have fueled the turnaround. The Philippine Cardaba Banana, or saba, is now a major export driver through products such as banana chips, steamed saba, and banana catsup.

Under the DA’s 2025 High Value Crops Development Program, 106,000 banana planting materials were distributed for farm expansion and rejuvenation, along with 120,000 units of organic fertilizer to restore soil health.

The program also deployed more than 215,000 biological control agents, such as Trichoderma, to improve plant resilience and reduce postharvest losses.

The industry continues to face challenges, particularly Fusarium wilt tropical race 4, or Panama disease, which has affected about 15,500 hectares in Davao and threatens the Cavendish variety that anchors exports.

Tiu Laurel said containment and mitigation will be critical to sustaining recent gains. If disease risks are contained and investments sustained, he said the country could lock in banana dominance while building a stronger, more diversified export sector.

Beyond bananas and mangoes, the DA is expanding its export strategy to 10 additional high-value crops: asparagus, avocado, cacao, calamansi, coffee, dragonfruit, durian, okra, pomelo, and rambutan.

Fruits and peels, the country’s second-largest agricultural exports, surged 33 percent year-on-year to $244.4 million in November alone.