The Philippines reclaimed its position as the world’s second-largest banana exporter in 2025 after shipments climbed to 2.925 million metric tons, a 26% year-on-year increase. This performance growth allows the country to overtake Colombia and widen its lead over Costa Rica and Guatemala, according to the preliminary data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
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.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Cristina A. Roque said the renewed global standing reflects both the resilience of the industry and the impact of sustained government policy support under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration.
“Reclaiming second place globally underscores the resilience of our farmers and the strength of our trade strategy. With this, 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. Through our different programs, we continue to support the banana industry alongside other agricultural products to make them export-ready,” she added.
Critical pillars of this growth include the strategic utilization of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Philippines-South Korea FTA. These agreements 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. The DTI’s Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) is actively conducting “Doing Business in Free Trade Areas” (DBFTA) seminars to help farmers utilize Certificates of Origin for zero-tariff entries.
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. EOE certifications help position Philippine bananas more competitively in the global market and reinforce the industry’s capacity to sustain its export rebound.
The DTI said the banana industry’s renewed global standing has a significant economic impact, as it remains a major source of rural employment and foreign exchange earnings. By restoring its competitiveness on the world stage, the Philippines strengthens rural livelihoods and reinforces the Philippines’ credibility as a reliable agricultural exporter.
