"There is a potential for a shake-up in the global banana market in the coming weeks," said Alessandro Dal Bello of the Sife company in Padua, Italy, referring to the current situation. "Russia is the destination for exports of a large segment of Ecuador's banana production, the world's largest producer. The current situation is likely to limit sales to Russia, so it is not excluded that there will be large quantities of product to be placed elsewhere."
The sanctions on Russia are limiting international payments and it looks like transportation will also be restricted. Shipping companies Maersk and MSC announced on 1 March that they would suspend shipments to Russia, although this restriction will not apply to food at the moment.
Dal Bello was in Costa Rica to monitor the production. "Banana prices in Italy are good, but the current prices are reducing the profit margin, so we are struggling to break even. The supermarkets at the moment do not adequately cover the increased costs of transport, road logistics and ripening. I don't think we will be able to cope with this situation for long".
According to Dal Bello, if things remain the same, there will be a freeze on imports because "it is not possible to work on a break-even point or on a loss-making basis. Moreover, there is not a lot of product in this period, since multinational companies are hoarding it at all levels".
For more information: 
Dal Bello SIFE
Corso Stati Uniti 23
35127 Padova (PD) - Italy
+39 049 8703000
[email protected]
www.dalbellosife.com