Costa Rica achieved record banana export figures last year in terms of both volume and revenue, thanks in part to a good amount of rain combined with high temperatures. 

Local media Nacion reported figures from the National Banana Growers (Corbana) showed that in 2016 the Central American country shipped 120 million 18.14-kilogram-equivalent boxes.

The next closest years were 1998 and 1999 which saw 116 million boxes exported, but Corbana general manager Omar Sanchez highlighted that since then the planted surface area had since declined 7,000 hectares to 43,000 hectares.

He also explained last year saw per-hectare productivity of 2,800 boxes, compared with 2,339 and 2,564 boxes in 2015 and 2014 respectively. Total volumes also rose 19% and 9% over the last two years respectively.

Industry revenues also came in at a new record of US$986 million last year, according to Nacion. 

Along with the favorable weather conditions last year, the publication also reported many growers had been increasing per-hectares productivity with higher-yielding plants.

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