Bananas and Food Security - Bioversity International

338 Les productions bananières / Bananas and food security – Session 2
Medium-scale producers. These are producers who have the possibility to sell their
product through transnational companies, but due to the low production volumes they
cannot ensure the delivery. Therefore, the transnational companies buy the fruit
according to their needs, paying a lower price and ceasing to do so when they wish.
It is important to point out that the transnational companies play a fundamental role
in international marketing, since they export approximately 70% of the fruit.
Banana and plantain prices in Mexico
Prices on the national market
The bananas most sold in Mexico are Giant Dwarf. Macho and Dominico varieties are
generally sold about 20-35% higher than the Giant Dwarf. Generally, when the product
sale is performed at the plantation site, the price is lower than when it is directly sold at
supplying markets. During the year it is possible to observe that the highest prices are
recorded from February to May, corresponding to the dry season and as a consequence, a
decrease of the offer. The lowest price of the fruit is recorded from August to November,
during the rainy season. Thus, in 1997 the average price was about 22 cents/kg, reaching
the highest value of 36 cents in February and the lowest in October, 12 cents/kg.
Table 5. Banana and plantain exports in Mexico.
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
Volume (000 tons) 154 253 255 295 195 169 163 118
Value (US$) 40 227 80 826 83 885 92 875 80 418 84 395 72 043 37 330
US$/kg
0,35
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0,05
0
Jan 96
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Nov 96
Dec 96
Jan 97
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Nov 97
Figure 5. Prices of banana at supply market in Mexico Federal District.