French Caribbean Banana Industry Faces Existential Crisis

Producers in Martinique and Guadeloupe warn of steep production declines, costly regulations, and a destructive plant disease threatening the sector's survival.

• Local banana production in Martinique and Guadeloupe has dropped from 250,000 to 186,000 tonnes over the past decade, raising concerns about the industry's viability.
• Producers cite the black sigatoka disease, a leaf fungus, as a major factor reducing crop quality and costing the industry €30 million annually.
• French banana growers struggle to compete with cheaper imports from Latin America and Africa, where production costs are significantly lower.
• Farmers are calling for regulatory approval to use drones for pesticide application and for the adoption of genetically resistant banana plants, pending EU authorization.
• Bananes from Martinique and Guadeloupe account for 22% of the French market but represent a small fraction of global banana production, which reached 135.5 million tonnes in 2022.

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