The Dominican Republic has seen a sharp decline in its organic banana exports to Europe, with shipments falling by 40 percent over the past two years. Industry leaders attribute the drop to the escalating impacts of climate change and a surge in pest and disease outbreaks affecting banana crops.
According to Gil Blas Martínez and Martín Peña, president and executive director of the Dominican Banana Association (Adobanano), export revenues fell from US$323 million in 2022 to US$202 million in 2023. The downturn is having a significant effect on the livelihoods of more than 30,000 banana growers and their families, particularly in Valverde province—where 90 percent of the nation’s bananas are cultivated—as well as in Azua and Santiago.
Farmers are grappling with widespread outbreaks of Black Sigatoka, a fungal disease that severely affects banana leaves and reduces yields. Additionally, a growing presence of mites has led to further losses by causing premature ripening and staining of the fruit, making it less suitable for export.
Adobanano highlighted that the mite infestation is particularly problematic during shipping. Since 90 percent of the Dominican Republic’s banana exports are destined for European markets, accelerated ripening during transit can significantly reduce fruit quality upon arrival.
In response to the crisis, the Dominican government introduced a program last year to incorporate bananas into school breakfasts, offering some relief to struggling producers.
