Banana is for sure among the most popular and widely consumed fruits on the planet. Not just that, but it’s a fact that the banana is one of the most densely nutrient-packed fruits in nature. Well, technically and botanically a banana isn’t actually a fruit, it is a berry. Because bananas fall under the Fleshy Fruit category, thus generally we refer to bananas as fruits. Bananas are consumed on a regular basis by people from practically every region on the earth. You may like eating bananas because of their simple and sweet tastes, or as an alternate health snack. On the other hand, bananas are popular all around the globe for their health benefits. It is true that eating bananas on a daily basis can help you in a lot of different ways, such as it helps in boosting digestion, and proper bowel movements. Along with that, many fitness enthusiasts consume bananas for both weight loss, as well as weight gain purposes.
If you eat bananas every day, there are fewer chances of you having a stroke, heart issues, and kidney stones. In short, a banana is a great gift from nature that we should always admire. But have you ever wondered which part of the world or which country is responsible for producing the most amount of bananas in the world? You may know India is the largest producer of bananas in the world, but what about others in this game? Well, today’s post is actually going to be all about that because here we will be taking a look at the list of the top 10 largest producers of bananas in the world.
Top Countries for Banana Production in World
Let’s get started.
1. India
It is believed that bananas first originated in India and other Southeast Asian regions. And people have been consuming or eating bananas for thousands of years in other Asian as well as middle eastern countries. India is one such country that is not only the largest producer of bananas but holds the title of the largest consumer of bananas in the world as well. It was just a few years ago when India surpassed the 30 million metric tonnes mark in terms of banana production in one fiscal year. Talking about the latest data, India produced well over 31.5 million metric tonnes of bananas in 2020-21. And it is highly unlikely that any other countries on our list will surpass India in terms of banana production, even in a few decades.
2. China
You may know China as the largest fruit producer in the world, but when talking about a particular type of fruit production like Banana, China actually holds the title of the second largest producer of bananas in the world. Before the 1980s, most fruits and other crops were consumed and processed in-house, but it changed in the 80s when China opened up for the trade of crops with other countries. And within that time period, China bumped up banana production, and as of now, China produces well over 10 million metric tonnes of bananas every year. For example, in 2020-21, China produced around 11.51 million metric tonnes of bananas in one fiscal year.
3. Indonesia
In the local markets of Indonesia, there is a huge demand for bananas in the country. Therefore, a considerable proportion of the total production amount is consumed by the general population of Indonesia. Talking about the fresh data about banana production, Indonesia has surpassed the 8 million metric tonnes mark in recent years. And last year’s total banana production in Indonesia was around 8.12 million metric tonnes in one fiscal year. East and West Java along with Lampung are the major regions for banana production. Looking at the steadily increasing growth in banana production, it shouldn’t be surprising if Indonesia surpasses China in one or two decades or so.
4. Brazil
Outside the Asia continent, Brazil is the largest producer of bananas in the world, especially in South America. Despite being the fourth largest banana producer in the world, most of the production amount is consumed domestically, and only 5%-6% is exported to other nations. And around 50% of bananas are Cavendish, which is quite high in demand in the local markets of Brazil. Talking about the total banana production amount in 2020-21, was around 6.63 million metric tonnes. In this South American country, bananas are a major part of local people’s diet, thus Brazil is increasing the production rate every fiscal year to keep up with such high demand.
5. Ecuador
When you begin your research for the largest exporter of bananas in the world, you won’t find countries like India, China, and Indonesia at the first spot because Ecuador holds the title of largest banana exporter in the world. Ecuador surpassed the 6 million metric tonnes mark just this year. And to be precise, the total banana production amount by Ecuador was around 6.02 million metric tonnes in one fiscal year. Since Ecuador takes bananas as a cash and trade option, thus it produces more than the demand in the local markets. This way, Ecuador is able to export over 60% of its bananas to the USA and other European countries.
6. Philippines
There is not much difference in the total banana production amount between the Philippines and Ecuador. Thus it is highly likely that the Philippines will take over the fifth rank on this list and become the fifth-largest banana producer in the world in the coming years. To be precise, the total bananas produced by the Philippines were around 5.96 million metric tonnes in 2020-21. However, it has already happened that the Philippines surpassed 6 million metric tonnes in 2019. But in 2020, the production dipped a little.
7. Guatemala
If you were to look at the lists of the largest producers of bananas in the world from the 1970s or 1980s, you would not have found Guatemala on that list. It was in the 1990s when the international banana trade became a thing for Guatemala, and it adapted quite fast to it. And over the last three decades, Guatemala has steadily but slowly increased its banana production every year, and it was just a few years ago when Guatemala surpassed the 4 million metric tonnes mark. If you take a look at the data from 2020-21, Guatemala actually ranks as the seventh largest banana producer in the world with a whopping 4.48 million metric tonnes of banana production in one year.
8. Angola
Many of you may be hearing this country’s name for the first time, but it is for sure one of the largest banana producers in central Africa. The climate conditions are perfect in Angola for the growth of banana trees, thus Angola has been able to cross the 4 million metric tonnes of banana production mark this year. Going into the specifics, this year Angola produced around 14.11 million metric tonnes of bananas. Angola could have been at higher ranks on our list but the decades-long civil war was the reason many crops and fruit production sectors collapsed in the country.
9. United Republic Of Tanzania
Banana is an inseparable part of Tanzania’s cuisine, thus the general population in the country consumes bananas almost every day. That is the prime reason why Tanzania is known as the second-largest banana producer in the African continent. Just like Angola, Tanzania isn’t also opened up for foreign trade for bananas, thus most of the production amount is used domestically. However, Tanzania produces more than enough bananas to keep up with the high demand in the local markets. In 2020-21, Tanzania produced well over 3.42 million metric tonnes of bananas.
10. Costa Rica
You may know Costa Rica for its breathtaking sceneries and nature views, but it was the first Central American country to grow bananas in the late 19th century. Now the banana cultivation or production sector of Costa Rica is big enough to provide employment to around 40 to 50 thousand people all across the country. And with the effort of these thousands of people and the proper land utilization, Costa Rica produced a whopping 2.52 million metric tonnes of bananas last year.
Conclusion
Now you know about the countries that add up to a huge proportion of the total banana production of the world. Not just the production side of things, but the trading, like imports and exports done by nations, is also another exciting thing to research about. That’s how you’ll know which nation exports the most bananas to your country.
Banana Production FAQs
Q: How are bananas harvested?
Ans: Bananas are typically harvested by hand, as they grow in large bunches that can weigh up to 50kg. The entire bunch is cut from the tree and then transported to a packing station for processing.
Q: What are some common banana varieties?
Ans: Some common banana varieties include Cavendish, Gros Michel, Lady Finger (also known as “Musa acuminata”), and plantains.
Q: What are the ideal growing conditions for bananas?
Ans: Bananas thrive in warm, humid climates with temperatures ranging between 20-30°C (68-86°F) and require well-drained soil with good fertility. They also need plenty of water, with an average of 1,500-2,500 mm of rainfall per year.
Q: How are bananas transported?
Ans: Bananas are usually transported by refrigerated ships or trucks to maintain their freshness during transit. They are usually packed in cartons or boxes and may be wrapped in plastic to protect them from bruising.
Q: What are some common banana pests and diseases?
Ans: Some common banana pests and diseases include Panama disease, Black Sigatoka, Fusarium wilt, and mealybugs. Proper pest management and disease control practices are essential for maintaining healthy banana crops.
