Ecuador Rises as Key Banana Supplier to China with Faster Deliveries and Lower Costs

Ecuador, known as the world’s top banana exporter, is now selling many more bananas to China. From January to May 2025, Ecuador sent 7.6 million boxes of bananas to China.

This is a big jump—about 45% more than the same time last year, according to Ecuador’s banana exporters’ association. Several things explain this sharp rise. First, Ecuador and China signed a trade deal in 2024.

This deal lowers the taxes (tariffs) China charges on Ecuadorian bananas, making them cheaper for Chinese buyers. The tariff is now 8%, down from 10%, and will keep dropping each year until it reaches zero.

Second, a new shipping route opened in early 2025. Bananas now travel from Ecuador’s main port, through a new port in Peru, straight to Shanghai, China.

This new route cuts shipping time almost in half, from about 55 days to just 27 days. Faster shipping means fresher bananas and lower costs.

Ecuador is also gaining ground because its main competitors—countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia—have had trouble growing and exporting bananas.

They have faced plant diseases and stricter rules from China, which has slowed their exports. Bananas are very important for Ecuador’s economy. In 2023, Ecuador sold $4.51 billion worth of bananas to countries around the world.

China is now Ecuador’s biggest banana customer in Asia and the fifth biggest in the world. Asia currently buys about 6% of Ecuador’s bananas, but Ecuador hopes to grow that to 15%.

However, exporting bananas is not always easy. Ecuador has had to spend more on security to keep its bananas safe from drug smuggling. The roads and ports also need improvements to handle all the shipments.