Banana import volume and value were up in 2023, according to USDA trade numbers.
At $2.04 billion, the U.S. import value of bananas in 2023 was up 4% from 2022, up 9% from 2021 and up 8% from 2020.
U.S. import volume of bananas was 5.08 million metric tons in 2023, up 2% from 4.99 million metric tons in 2022. The per metric ton value of banana imports in 2023 was $532.80, up 7% from 2022 and up 11% from 2021.
Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Colombia and Mexico were the top global suppliers to the U.S. market, according to USDA numbers. By country, 2023 U.S. import value numbers, with percent change from 2022, were:
- World total — $2.04 billion, up 4%.
- Guatemala — $948.9 million, up 2%.
- Costa Rica — $432 million, up 21%.
- Honduras — $228.3 million, down 4%.
- Ecuador — $167.9 million, up 2%.
- Colombia — $123.9 million, up 6%.
- Mexico — $106.1 million, down 13%.
- Panama — $31.1 million, up 68%.
Banana retail per capita availability was 26.9 pounds in 2021, down 1% from 2020 and down 2%. Retail per capita availability data for 2011 to 2021 was:
- 2011 — 25.5 pounds.
- 2012 — 26.9 pounds.
- 2013 — 28 pounds.
- 2014 — 27.9 pounds.
- 2015 — 27.9 pounds.
- 2016 — 27.4 pounds.
- 2017 — 28.6 pounds.
- 2018 — 28.3 pounds.
- 2019 — 27.4 pounds.
- 2020 — 27.2 pounds.
- 2021 — 26.9 pounds.
The following are U.S. average banana prices per carton at U.S. terminal markets for the past year:
- 1/7/23 — $21.57.
- 2/4/23 — $21.81.
- 3/4/23 — $22.67.
- 4/1/23 — $22.59.
- 5/6/23 — $22.15.
- 6/3/23 — $21.87.
- 7/1/23 — $21.80.
- 8/5/23 — $21.84.
- 9/9/23 — $21.92.
- 10/7/23 — $21.64.
- 11/4/23 — $21.90.
- 12/2/23 — $22.30.
- 1/6/24 — $22.23.
Source: USDA
