Cavendish
The global export banana. 19% of banana land, over half of national production.
The Philippine Banana Industry
The banana is the Philippines' most successful fruit export and one of its great rural employers. These are the numbers behind the industry — and the challenges the Council exists to meet.
The industry in numbers
#2
World's largest banana exporter, rank reclaimed in 2025
2.93M
Tonnes exported in 2025, up 26% year-on-year
US$1.68B
Export value in 2025 (PSA)
700,000+
Filipino livelihoods supported (DA)
451,178
Hectares planted nationwide
~60%
Asia's Cavendish supply grown here
₱123B
Average yearly contribution to the economy
85%
Of production grown in Mindanao
Markets
Where Philippine bananas go
Japan remains our largest and most loyal market — three of every four bananas eaten there are Filipino. The Council supports the industry's push for fairer tariffs, including zero duties on accession to trade agreements, so Philippine fruit competes on equal footing.
Varieties
Four bananas, one industry
Saba / Cardava
The people's banana — chips, turon, and home cooking. The largest area planted, and naturally tolerant to TR4.
Lakatan
The premium dessert banana of Filipino tables.
Latundan
The everyday favorite, grown in backyards and farms nationwide.
Illustrative map of Mindanao's growing regions. Select a region to bring it to the top of the table.
Regions
Grown across the nation, rooted in Mindanao
Bananas are the Philippines' second-largest agricultural crop, contributing an average of ₱123 billion a year to the economy — second only to rice. Mindanao grows 85% of the harvest, led by the Davao Region, where bananas account for nearly half of all exports.
| Region | Hectares |
|---|---|
| Davao Region | 90,302 |
| Northern Mindanao | 53,614 |
| SOCCSKSARGEN | 36,374 |
| BARMM | 33,828 |
| Caraga | 24,601 |
| Zamboanga Peninsula | 19,819 |
Challenges & response
What the industry is up against
Fusarium wilt TR4
A soil-borne disease with no cure, first detected in 2009. The Council disseminates containment strategies and backs disease-tolerant variety development and the proposed Banana Research Center.
Unequal tariffs
Philippine bananas face tariffs of up to 18% in key markets while competitors enjoy zero. The Council supports the national push for tariff parity and new trade agreements.
Climate & costs
Typhoons, El Niño, and input costs that have doubled in five years weigh heaviest on small growers. The Council works to expand credit access and practical farm support.
“Many thought the banana industry was in decline. This is proof of concept: when interventions are done right, we can reverse the trend.”