Despite a decline in purchases, Russia remains the second-largest importer of Ecuadorian bananas, according to a report by the Ecuadorian Banana Exporters Association.
Out of 364.16 million boxes of bananas exported in 2024, the European Union accounted for 29.03% of shipments. Russia followed with an 18.42% share, equivalent to 67.09 million boxes.
However, banana exports to Russia fell by 8.75 million boxes (11.54%) compared to 2023, when the country imported 75.84 million boxes.
The United States saw the biggest increase in Ecuadorian banana imports, purchasing 8.1 million more boxes than the previous year. In total, the U.S. imported 40.7 million boxes in 2024, ranking fourth among Ecuador's top banana buyers.
For Russia, importing bananas remains more cost-effective than domestic cultivation. Russian Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut pointed to Kazakhstan as an example, where high production costs make locally grown bananas more expensive than imported ones.
"For now, it's simpler and cheaper for us to import bananas," the minister stated at the Development of Small Agribusiness in Russia forum.