Bananas and Food Security - Bioversity International

Europe : D. Lœillet
Le marché international bananier :
une gamme de produits très étroite
Denis Lœillet
Abstract – The international banana market – a very narrow product range
The international banana market is too often reduced to the Cavendish variety alone.
However, banana supplies around the world are rich in varieties that are almost
completely unknown on the large import markets (Europe, the United States and Japan).
Only a few well-informed purchasers—most of whom have lived in producer countries—
eat bananas that can be considered as ‘exotic’. It is difficult to quantify this niche market.
However, bananas other than Cavendish can be divided into three groups: plantains,
‘small’ bananas and other bananas. The European Union imports between 15,000 and
25,000 tonnes of plantain. It is estimated that several tens of thousands of tonnes of small
bananas (‘Figue sucrée’, etc.) and several hundred to several thousand tonnes of other
bananas (‘Figue rose’, etc.) are imported.
Another type of diversification has emerged on the banana market in recent years.
Segmentation is not according to the type of produce supplied (new variety) but concerns
the way in which it is produced. Fair trade bananas, organic bananas and bananas grown
under specific production conditions (highland bananas, etc.) are gaining a foothold on
certain markets. European demand for these fruits should in time total several hundred
thousand tonnes, that is to say 8 to 10% of total demand.
One of the last fruit markets that is closed to any idea of varietal diversification or
broadening of the range of products available is timidly opening to novelty. Considerable
marketing efforts will be necessary. Debate should now be set up between agronomists,
producers and the trade to achieve the best possible development of this wealth of
bananas.
Résumé – Le marché international bananier est trop souvent réduit à la seule variété
Cavendish. Pourtant l’offre de bananes de par le monde est riche de variétés quasi totalement
inconnues sur les grands marchés d’importations (Europe, Etats-Unis et Japon). Seuls
quelques acheteurs avertis, la plupart du temps ayant vécu dans les pays de production,
consomment les bananes que l’on peut considérer comme « exotiques ». Ce marché de
niche est difficilement quantifiable. Hors Cavendish, on peut cependant les répartir en trois
groupes : les bananes plantain, les « petites » bananes, et les autres bananes. L’Europe communautaire
importe entre 15000 et 25000 tonnes de bananes plantain. On estime qu’elle
CIRAD-FLHOR, Montpellier, France.
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