- Banana powder prices in Q1’26 followed a firm global trend, supported by higher logistics costs and uneven banana availability across producing regions.
- Feedstock pressure remained elevated due to fertilizer, fuel, plantation management, drying costs, and shipping disruptions linked to the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz closure.
- Downstream demand stayed stable from infant nutrition, bakery products, smoothies, snacks, nutraceuticals, and food processing applications.
During Q1’26, banana powder prices remained firm as higher transportation and processing costs offset the impact of improving banana exports from major producing countries. Feedstock availability improved moderately during the quarter, with Brazil exporting around 6,000 tons of bananas in January 2026 and nearly 7,000 tons in March, reflecting stronger export movement after earlier logistical slowdown. However, rising freight, insurance, and vessel-delay risks following the Strait of Hormuz disruption increased delivered costs for processed banana products globally. Upstream conditions remained uneven due to weather variability, plantation maintenance costs, ripening expenses, and higher fuel and fertilizer prices, which continued supporting production economics for banana powder manufacturers. Downstream demand from infant food manufacturers, bakery premixes, smoothie blends, health supplements, snack applications, and foodservice industries remained stable throughout the quarter, although buyers avoided aggressive stocking because of elevated logistics costs and sufficient inventories.