Ecuador exports more bananas than any other country and has been the top banana exporter to the European Union for more than a decade. The country vies with Costa Rica as the leading exporter to the United States; its other principal exporting markets are Argentina, Chile, and Japan.
Baby, Cavendish, and Red bananas are the principal export varieties. Consumers prefer Ecuadorian grown bananas because of their exquisite taste and long shelf-life, while importers choose them for their unmatched quality, resistance to disease, and guaranteed availability (due to the year-round growing season).