Banana/Brazil: January Exports Ease Month-on-Month but Remain Well Above Year-Ago Levels

After a robust performance in 2025, banana exports from Brazil opened 2026 on solid footing. Supply constraints in competing origins — including Paraguay, Bolivia, Colombia and Peru — combined with higher domestic output of nanica bananas, Brazil’s leading export variety, particularly in northern Santa Catarina, supported strong shipments throughout last year and carried momentum into January.

Data available on Datamar’s DataLiner platform shows that Brazil exported 1,192 TEUs of bananas throughout 2025—a nearly 200% increase year-on-year. The following chart illustrates the historical export trends for bananas, according to DataLiner data:

Banana Exports | Jan 2022 – Dec 2025 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

According to Comex Stat, Brazil exported roughly 6,000 tonnes of bananas in January 2026, down 6.3% from December. Export revenue (FOB) declined 13.7% over the same period, totaling USD 22.8 million. Hortifrúti/Cepea researchers note that the early months of the year are typically slower for exports, as fruit consumption eases during the holiday season and school vacations.

Shipments from Santa Catarina have also faced stiffer competition from Colombia, Ecuador and Paraguay, whose fruit is often viewed as more competitive in terms of appearance, pricing and logistics. Despite improved quality, attractive prices and increased supply in Brazil, orchard recovery has progressed more slowly than expected following the longer and harsher winter of 2025.

In January, Uruguay accounted for 42% of Brazil’s banana exports, followed by Argentina (33.5%), the Netherlands (11.7%) and Spain (6.9%), according to Comex Stat.

Even with the month-on-month pullback, January exports were 118.3% higher than in the same month of 2025, underscoring the sector’s year-on-year gains. Portuguese outlet TRT Português reported that severe flooding recently affected around 40,000 hectares in northern Colombia, potentially curbing output in the coming months and opening additional space for Brazilian fruit.

February, however, may bring renewed headwinds. Harvests in Paraguay and Bolivia typically accelerate at this time of year, while Argentina — a key destination for Brazilian bananas — remains in its holiday period, which can dampen demand. Market participants expect exports to regain traction after Carnival, supported by projections of stronger domestic output in March.

Source: Hfbrasil.org.br and Comex Stat

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