Bananas

Mon, Nov 9th, 2026

Dear Ole Tyme Customers:

The banana industry is facing several pressures at once, from challenging growing conditions to higher costs for materials and transportation. Weather is a significant part of this picture. A strengthening El Niño, identified by the World Meteorological Organization as potentially one of the strongest since 1950, is expected to persist until mid 2027. Its influence on rainfall and temperatures varies by region, increasing the risks of excessive rainfall in some areas and drought in others.

In Costa Rica’s Caribbean region, sustained heavy rainfall has disrupted essential farm operations and increased Black Sigatoka, a disease that affects banana plants’ leaves and productivity. Fewer bagged bunches are reaching a marketable harvest, and some fruit must be harvested earlier at lower bunch weights, reducing the number of exportable boxes. These conditions can also affect fruit quality and shorten green life, increasing the risk of fruit beginning to turn earlier than expected.

Elsewhere, changing weather patterns across Ecuador, Panama, Colombia, and Guatemala are creating additional demands on farm operations. Conditions and their effects vary by region, with some weather-related production pressures potentially extending into the first half of 2027.

The conflict in the Middle East is also driving up costs across the banana supply chain. Disruptions to energy and fertilizer supplies are increasing the cost of growing fruit, while higher fuel and freight costs affect ocean shipping, inland transportation, and materials such as packaging, wooden and plastic pallets, and crop-protection products. Because bananas require refrigerated transportation and careful handling throughout their journey, these increases compound the higher production costs already resulting from challenging field conditions.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your Sales Representative.

Thanks,

Ole Tyme Produce