Banana exporters shift to retain markets

Pressure on growing areas

In April 2026, at the Cavendish banana plantation of Union Trading Investment JSC in Binh Long Ward, Dong Nai City, large areas of bananas showed symptoms of yellowing leaves, wilting, and declining productivity. Technical survey results showed that the banana plantations were infected with dangerous fungal diseases, including Fusarium wilt (Panama disease) and Phytophthora. The cultivation soil had become severely acidic, and the soil microbiome had declined following a prolonged period of intensive farming.

More concerning, technical assessments indicate that certain pathogens can persist in soil for many years and continue to spread via irrigation water and plant residues if not addressed with coordinated measures.

Mr. Lu Trong Kien, CEO of Union Trading Investment JSC, said that the company currently exports bananas to many markets, including Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Kuwait, and several Middle Eastern countries. According to him, the company's challenge today is not only maintaining output but also ensuring uniform quality, controlling diseases, and meeting increasingly stringent requirements from import markets.

"In the past, enterprises focused on expanding cultivation areas and boosting yields. However, today, if growing areas fail to control diseases and pesticide residues or maintain uniform quality, it becomes extremely difficult for enterprises to retain export markets," Mr. Kien said.

The situation at this banana farm reflects the broader pressures facing the banana export sector. As import markets continue to tighten standards for quality, traceability, and sustainability, maintaining stable, disease-free growing areas has become a mandatory requirement for exporters.

According to data from the Viet Nam Fruit and Vegetable Association (Vinafruit), Viet Nam's banana exports reached USD 47.24 million in April 2026, up 0.6% from the previous month and 0.6% higher than the same period in 2025. Cumulative export turnover for the first four months of the year reached USD 151.21 million. Bananas remain among Viet Nam's six key export fruit products.

Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen, Secretary General of Vinafruit, said the banana industry is entering a new phase of competition in which technology and production standards will determine a company's ability to retain export markets. "International consumers today pay attention not only to prices but also to whether production processes are sustainable and whether growing areas meet green standards," Mr. Nguyen noted.

Accelerating technological application

Amid mounting pressure from disease outbreaks, rising production costs, and increasingly strict requirements of import markets, the challenge for banana exporters is no longer to increase output at all costs. Instead, the focus has shifted toward improving production efficiency on the same unit of area.

According to experts, whereas investment efforts previously focused primarily on expanding cultivation areas, the current trend is shifting toward soil health management, disease control, input optimization, and product quality enhancement through technological applications.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Tri, Director of Tri Viet Agricultural Food Trading Production Co., Ltd., noted that many growing areas are now experiencing soil degradation due to the prolonged overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

"When soil health deteriorates and the soil microbiome becomes imbalanced, crops become far more susceptible to diseases. Sustainable development requires restoring the farming ecosystem rather than relying excessively on chemicals," Mr. Tri said.

According to Mr. Tri, many enterprises have begun shifting toward biological farming solutions, precision nutrient management, and measures to improve soil and water quality in order to reduce dependence on chemicals while meeting increasingly strict requirements of import markets.

Technology is also being integrated into other links of the value chain. Many businesses are investing in automated irrigation systems, soil moisture monitoring sensors, growth stage-specific nutrient management, and post-harvest preservation technologies to extend transport times, reduce losses, and maintain product quality during export.

According to Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen, the banana industry is shifting its focus from increasing output to improving production efficiency per unit of land through the application of technology and the management of growing areas.

"Major banana exporting countries around the world invest heavily in production technologies, from breeding and disease management to post-harvest preservation. This is also the path that Vietnamese enterprises should pursue if they want to strengthen their competitiveness," Mr. Nguyen said.

Mr. Nguyen added that in the context of rising input costs and increasingly stringent market requirements, the application of technology not only improves productivity but also helps stabilize product quality, reduce production risks, and increase export value.

"In the coming years, a company's competitive advantage will not be determined by how many hectares of land it owns, but by its ability to manage growing areas, maintain uniform quality, and build a standardized production chain," Mr. Nguyen stated.

Fusarium wilt (Panama disease) is regarded as one of the greatest threats to the global banana industry. The fungus can survive in soil for many years and spread through irrigation water, cultivated soil, and production materials, making it particularly difficult to control.