Bananas and Food Security - Bioversity International

Introduction : E. Frison and S. Sharrock
the area under Musa production. In Asia, three countries have had a major influence on
production levels. Between 1970 and 1980, yields in the Philippines and China, two of
the biggest Asian producers, increased dramatically (Figure 6). Since the mid-1980s the
increase in banana production in Asia is largely due to increasing acreage in India, the
world’s largest producer (Table 2) and China.
Although more than 100 countries produce bananas and plantains worldwide and 23
produce more than one million tonnes per year, the top 5 producing countries account
for 42% of world production.
While India is the world’s largest producer, production per capita is highest in Costa
Rica where banana production reaches 700 kg/capita. Production levels of over
500 kg/capita are found in three other Latin American and Caribbean countries:
35,0
30,0
25,0
20,0
15,0
10,0
5,0
0,0
Africa Asia LAC
Figure 3. Increase in Musa production by region, 1970-97.
90,0
80,0
70,0
60,0
50,0
40,0
30,0
20,0
10,0
0,0
Africa Asia LAC
Figure 4. Increase in cassava production, 1970-97.
25