French Banana Purchases Rise 24% as Antilles Growers Lose Market Share
French household banana purchases have risen 24% in ten years, while annual consumption averaged 775,000 tonnes in 2023-2025. Producers in the French Antilles now hold 21% of the mainland market and face a persistent gap between production costs and revenue.
Consumption reaches the European average
Bananas have become France’s leading fruit by sales volume, ahead of apples, as household purchases increased 24% over ten years, according to FreshPlaza. Average annual consumption reached 775,000 tonnes in 2023-2025. Consumption per person rose by about 4 kg between 2016 and 2025 to 12.9 kg a year, bringing France into line with the European average.
Worldpanel data presented by the French interprofessional banana association AIB show that household purchase volumes grew 10% over the past five years, with particularly high levels in 2025 and 2026 based on information available through August 2026. Market penetration exceeded 90%: 92% of French households bought bananas at least once in 2025. Bananas now account for 20% of fruit volumes sold in France, while their average consumer price remained relatively accessible at €1.90 per kg in 2026.
Weekly consumption has increased across every age group covered by the AIB study. The share of the overall population eating bananas at least once a week rose from 20.2% in 2016 to 30.4% in 2026. Among people aged 21-25, the rate more than doubled from 13.3% to 28.3%. The largest increase for a cohort followed over the decade was 16.7 percentage points among consumers who moved from the 51-55 age group in 2016 to 61-65 in 2026.
Antilles producers fall behind lower-priced supply
Rising demand has not translated into a stronger position for growers in Guadeloupe and Martinique. Franceinfo reports that Antilles bananas account for 21% of the mainland French market, compared with 39% for South American fruit and 40% for African bananas. Competing bananas can be sold at up to half the price, reflecting differences in labour costs and environmental requirements.
In Guadeloupe, the sector has lost half of its producers in 20 years amid higher costs, drought and recurring disease. One six-hectare farm featured by Franceinfo produces 400,000 bananas a year, but illustrates the pressure on margins: each banana costs €0.27 to produce, while the grower receives €0.14 from the buyer and €0.09 in public support. That leaves a €0.04 shortfall against production cost.
European subsidies have been frozen since 2007, although France Télévisions reported that they could rise the following year. Philippe Aliane, head of the Les Producteurs de Guadeloupe group, said a kilogram of bananas sells for around €2 in France but would need to cost about €3 if Antilles production received no aid. Every Saturday, 1,500 tonnes leave Pointe-à-Pitre for a nine-day voyage to mainland France, followed by four days of ripening at 16°C.
Climate, disease and logistics add uncertainty
The AIB also warned that El Niño-related shifts between prolonged drought and heavy rainfall could disrupt production cycles and encourage fungal diseases. Risks extend beyond Latin America to Asia and potentially Africa. Tropical Race 4 fusarium wilt is already present in some producing regions, prompting research into agronomic practices, water management and alternatives to Cavendish, the dominant dessert banana in international trade.
Transport is another source of risk. Drought can restrict Panama Canal capacity, while tensions in the Red Sea affect shipping routes and the availability of vessels and containers. Fertilizer prices remain well above their 2015-2020 levels despite falling from the 2022 peaks, and cardboard and energy costs also remain elevated. For Antilles growers, stronger French consumption therefore offers a large market, but not enough protection from cheaper supply, persistent cost gaps and increasingly unpredictable production conditions.
