Latin American banana producers seek better pay amid El Niño weather damage

The short version

• Banana producers in Latin America are calling for better pay as extreme weather during a strong El Niño event reduces production.[The Guardian]
• Fairtrade Foundation says high winds in Colombia and heavy rain in Peru and Ecuador are already affecting output.[The Guardian]
• Exports from Colombia's Caribbean region fell 32% to $122m between July and September, according to Colombian growers' association figures.[The Guardian]
• Ethical Trading Initiative research found 2026 supplier prices did not cover basic production costs for 66.7% of suppliers, and the reporting describes no agreed price changes.[The Guardian]

Key facts

• Exports from the Colombian Caribbean region fell 32% to $122m between July and September, according to the Association of Banana Growers of Magdalena and La Guajira.[The Guardian]
• Fairtrade says high winds in parts of Colombia and heavy rainfall in Peru and Ecuador are already affecting banana production.[The Guardian]
• Fairtrade research suggests productivity across its farmers and workers dropped 13% in the Dominican Republic, 22% in Ecuador, and 6% in Peru during the previous El Niño cycle.[The Guardian]
• Ethical Trading Initiative research found prices paid to suppliers in 2026 did not cover basic production costs for 66.7% of them.[The Guardian]
• Research for the Inter-American Development Bank, published in 2020, projected suitable land for banana cultivation could shrink by an average of 61% across Latin America and the Caribbean by 2050.[The Guardian]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.

• Banana producers in Latin America want better pay to cope with effects of climate crisisThe Guardian - World