Exports of Costa bananas fell some 5%, roughly 5 million cartons, below previously expected levels, local daily La Nación reported.

Citing preliminary numbers from the country’s national banana corporation Corbana, the report said that industry officials expected some 103 million cartons for 2010, which would bring the industry back to 2008 export levels.

However intense rains in January 2010 that affected 11,000 hectares cut into the yield. While the count did surpass 2009 levels when the industry exported 87 million cartons, the report said the Corbana does not consider 2009 an adequate to compare figures. Luis Umaña, VP of exporter Anaproban, concurred, saying the 2009 result was “atypical.”

Despite the lower carton volume, the total FOB value of the export crop reached US $658 million, only US $2 million below 2008.

Costa Rica’s registered its largest recent export harvest in 2007, when it exported 114 million cartons, slightly below a 116 million export season in 1999.

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Source: www.freshfruitportal.com