Bananas - Publication

August 2012

Hawaii Farm Facts

Page 5

BANANAS:  2011 Value of Sales Up 6 Percent 
BANANAS:  Acres Harvested and Utilization, 
State of Hawaii, 2002 ‐ 2011 

Fresh market banana utilization in 2011 
for  the  State  of  Hawaii  totaled 
17.4  million  pounds,  a  decrease  of 
2  percent  or  0.4  million  pounds  from 
2010.  Indications from the Hawaii fresh 
fruit  survey  also  reveal  a  7  percent 
decrease  in  statewide  banana  acreage 
from 1,400 acres in 2010, to 1,300 acres 
in 2011.  Weather conditions during the 
2011 growing season varied by location, 
however,  many  areas  experienced  a 
lack  of  water  due  to  drought 
conditions and irrigation was necessary 
to  maintain  the  crop.    Many  farmers 
reported  ongoing  issues  with  the 
Banana  Bunchy  Top  Virus  (BBTV).  
Despite  hardships  caused  by  drought 
and  disease,  banana  yield  increased 
7 percent to 17,400 pounds per acre, up 
from 16,200 pounds per acre in 2010.  

Million pounds 
30

Thousand acres 
1,600
1,400

25

1,200
20

1,000
800

15

600

10

400
5

200
0

0
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 201 0 2011
Utilization

Harvested acres

in 2011, 8 percent (5.0 cents) more than in 2010.  If this preliminary 
price  holds,  it  will  be  a  new  state  record  high,  surpassing 
60.0 cents per pound set in 2010.  Total value of the banana crop, 
based  on  production  and  price,  totaled  $11.3  million,  6  percent 
greater than the $10.7 million received in 2010. ■ 

Based  on  these  data  collected, 
producers received an average price of 
65.0 cents per pound for fresh banana 

BANANAS: Number of Farms, Acreage, Yield, Utilization, Price, and Value, 
State of Hawaii, 2002‐2011  
Year

Farms
Number

In Crop

1

Harvested

—————— Acres ——————

Utilization
Fresh

Farm Price 3

Value of
Sales 4

————1,000 Pounds ————

Cents per Pound

1,000 Dollars

2002

220

1,510

1,330

15.0

20,000

43.0

8,600

2003

230

1,560

1,350

16.7

22,500

41.0

9,225

2004

210

1,360

1,000

16.5

16,500

49.0

8,085

2005

190

1,145

980

21.3

20,900

43.9

9,175

2006

230

1,300

1,100

20.0

22,000

49.0

10,780

2007

240

1,500

1,300

19.7

25,600

41.0

10,496

2008

230

1,300

1,100

15.8

17,400

46.0

8,004

2009

240

1,300

1,100

16.8

18,500

55.0

10,175

2010

250

1,400

1,100

16.2

17,800

60.0

10,680

240

1,300

1,000

17.4

17,400

65.0

11,310

2011
1

Yield per
Acre
(Harvested) 2

Acreage

2

3

At the end of the year. Utilized production divided by acreage harvested. Farm price for latest year is preliminary price. Final price will be released in
the July Noncitrus Fruit and Nut Report and may contain a revised price. 4 Value of sales for latest year calculated off of final production multiplied by
preliminary price.

Page 6

Hawaii Farm Facts

August 2012

BANANAS:  Historical Data 
BANANAS: Number of Farms, Acreage, Yield, Utilization, Price, and Value, 
State of Hawaii, 1949‐2011  
Acreage
Year

Farms
Number

1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989

NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
246
243
229
216
207
170
182
172
172
171
173
154
152
153
147
148
159
152
179
183
180
178
185
175
160
150

In Crop

1

Harvested

Yield per
Acre
(harvested)2

———— Acres ————

1,010
1,020
990
1,010
980
930
950
1,000
1,050
1,050
1,010
1,130
1,160
1,110
1,040
1,090
1,160
1,150
1,155
1,115
1,038
820
810
795
730
670
690
615
610
660
690
730
760
940
1,100
990
1,060
1,140
1,220
1,220
1,150

910
910
910
930
910
870
870
890
910
900
840
970
940
890
760
890
950
1,010
1,010
965
933
760
725
720
660
610
630
560
550
580
630
580
650
720
860
870
840
980
1,070
1,070
1,000

Utilization
Fresh

1,000 Pounds

6.7
6.5
6.7
7.8
8.5
7.4
7.9
7.6
7.7
7.4
7.4
7.8
9.4
8.7
8.2
10.1
7.5
8.6
8.0
6.7
6.6
7.4
8.1
8.3
11.1
10.8
9.8
9.0
10.5
9.8
8.8
7.9
9.2
8.0
5.2
10.2
9.7
9.9
10.7
12.3
11.9

6,115
5,870
6,085
7,250
7,760
6,430
6,850
6,725
6,985
6,665
6,210
6,810
8,835
7,710
6,245
9,010
7,160
8,730
8,095
6,485
6,170
5,600
5,865
6,000
7,295
6,600
6,200
5,030
5,800
5,700
5,550
4,600
6,000
5,750
4,470
8,900
8,160
9,700
11,400
13,200
11,900

Farm Price 3

Value of
Sales 4

Cents per Pound

1,000 Dollars

7.6
7.2
7.4
6.7
6.5
6.8
6.5
6.8
5.7
6.8
7.1
6.4
6.7
6.6
7.8
7.7
7.7
7.7
7.0
7.7
9.4
10.6
11.6
12.0
10.6
13.1
13.8
15.5
15.6
18.5
20.5
23.9
25.7
28.6
31.2
30.0
30.3
30.0
29.7
33.0
36.5

464
424
451
489
503
436
444
454
398
435
438
435
592
509
484
690
545
668
567
499
580
594
680
720
773
865
856
780
905
1,055
1,138
1,099
1,542
1,645
1,395
2,670
2,472
2,910
3,386
4,356
4,344
Continued

August 2012

Hawaii Farm Facts

Page 7

BANANAS:  Historical Data (continued) 
BANANAS: Number of Farms, Acreage, Yield, Utilization, Price, and Value, 
State of Hawaii, 1949‐2011 (continued) 
Yield per

Acreage
Year

Farms
Number

In Crop1

Harvested

————Acres ————

Acre
(harvested)2

Utilization
Fresh

——1,000 Pounds ——

Farm Price 3

Value of
Sales 4

Cents per Pound

1,000 Dollars

1990

150

1,000

930

12.2

11,300

38.0

4,294

1991

145

970

890

12.8

11,400

41.0

4,674

1992

135

960

870

13.8

12,000

41.0

4,920

1993

130

980

830

14.1

11,700

38.0

4,446

1994

145

1,020

880

15.6

13,700

37.0

5,069

1995

170

1,120

880

14.8

13,000

40.0

5,200

1996

170

1,240

960

13.5

13,000

40.0

5,200

1997

170

1,590

950

14.4

13,700

38.0

5,206

1998

200

1,600

1,420

14.8

21,000

35.0

7,350

1999

210

1,760

1,420

17.3

24,500

35.0

8,575

2000

210

1,710

1,460

19.9

29,000

36.0

10,440

2001

200

1,660

1,490

18.8

28,000

38.0

10,640

2002

220

1,510

1,330

15.0

20,000

43.0

8,600

2003

230

1,560

1,350

16.7

22,500

41.0

9,225

2004

210

1,360

1,000

16.5

16,500

49.0

8,085

2005

190

1,145

980

21.3

20,900

43.9

9,175

2006

230

1,300

1,100

20.0

22,000

49.0

10,780

2007

240

1,500

1,300

19.7

25,600

41.0

10,496

2008

230

1,300

1,100

15.8

17,400

46.0

8,004

2009

240

1,300

1,100

16.8

18,500

55.0

10,175

2010

250

1,400

1,100

16.2

17,800

60.0

10,680

2011

240

1,300

1,000

17.4

17,400

65.0

11,310

1
At the end of the year. 2 Utilized production divided by acreage harvested. 3 Farm price for latest year is preliminary price. Final price will be released in
the July Noncitrus Fruit and Nut Report and may contain a revised price. 4 Value of sales for latest year calculated off of final production multiplied by
preliminary price.

Page 8

Hawaii Farm Facts

August 2012

BANANAS:  U. S. Fresh Imports 
BANANAS:  U.S. Fresh Banana Imports, 
Quantity and Value, by Country, 2011 1 
Harmonized Number: 0803002020 
Country

Quantity

Custom Value

Metric Tons

1,000 Dollars

Colombia

384,504

174,298

Costa Rica

844,546

384,319

3

3

710

479

878,970

397,044

1,333,476

607,435

Honduras

445,223

181,845

Mexico

148,607

62,756

Nicaragua

35,585

12,702

Panama

27,814

10,433

Peru

23,211

14,208

32

29

4,122,682

1,845,550

Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Guatemala

Venezuela
Total

1

The conversion for 1 metric ton = 2,204.6 pounds. Data may not add due to
rounding. Source: U.S. Department of Commerce.

In  2011,  the  U.S.  imported  4.1  million  metric  tons  of 
fresh  bananas  from  foreign  sources,  1  percent  more 
than  the  previous  year.    Guatemala,  Ecuador,  and 
Costa Rica, respectively, were the top three exporters 
of  bananas  to  the  U.S.    The  value  posted  was 
$1.8 billion, 11 percent more than the 2010 value. ■ 

BANANAS:  U.S. Fresh Imports, Quantity and Value, 2007‐2011  
Year

Quantity

Custom Value

Metric Tons

1,000 Dollars

2007

4,003,800

1,126,737

2008

3,977,914

1,254,890

2009

3,599,199

1,454,871

2010

4,093,892

1,663,995

2011

4,122,682

1,845,550

The conversion for 1 metric ton = 2,204.6 pounds. Source: U.S. Department of Commerce.