The Department of Trade and Industry (dti) announced that the Philippines had regained its reputation as the world’s second-largest exporter of bananas in 2025.

This was after the country exported 2.925 million metric tons in various parts of the world last year, a 26 percent year-on-year increase.

This performance growth sees the country overtaking Colombia and widening its lead over Costa Rica and Guatemala, according to the preliminary data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Reverses decline in export volumes

The latest figure restores the country’s 2020 ranking and reverses the decline in export volumes from 2021 to 2024, as the sector recovered from disruptions caused by pest infestations and adverse weather that constrained production and trade.

Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina Roque said the renewed global standing reflects both the resilience of the industry and the impact of sustained government policy support.

“Reclaiming second place globally underscores the resilience of our farmers and the strength of our trade strategy. The DTI remains committed to sustaining this momentum through industry upgrading, investment promotion, and deeper integration into global value chains to strengthen the sector’s long-term competitiveness,” Roque said.

“Through our different programs, we continue to support the banana industry alongside other agricultural products to make them export-ready,” she added.

RCEP, Phl-South Korea Free Trade Agreement

Critical pillars of the banana export growth include the strategic utilization of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Philippines-South Korea Free Trade Agreement, which have significantly lowered or eliminated tariffs, providing Philippine bananas with a distinct price advantage in key Asian markets.

Secretary Roque added that the DTI is aggressively replicating this success for other high-value crops, such as mangoes and ube (purple yam).

The DTI’s Export Marketing Bureau (EMB), for its part, is actively conducting “Doing Business in Free Trade Areas” seminars to help farmers utilize Certificates of Origin for zero-tariff entries.

Export-Oriented Enterprise Certification

In addition, the DTI’s EMB has expanded its support to the sector through the issuance of Export-Oriented Enterprise (EOE) Certifications to qualified banana exporters.

These certifications enable firms to source key production inputs at more competitive prices, lowering overall costs and improving product quality, which helps position Philippine bananas more competitively in the global market and reinforces the industry’s capacity to sustain its export rebound.