Diseases, competitive pressures, and market demands are forcing banana export enterprises to alter production methods, invest in technology, and upgrade the quality of growing zones to maintain export momentum.

Pressures mounting across growing zones

In April 2026, at the Cavendish banana cultivation zones of Union Trading Investment Joint Stock Company in Binh Long Ward, Dong Nai City, numerous banana fields exhibited leaf yellowing and wilting, accompanied by sharp yield declines. Technical survey results revealed that the banana plantation was infected with dangerous fungal pathogens such as Fusarium (Panama) and Phytophthora; furthermore, the arable soil suffered from severe acidification and depleted microbial ecosystems following prolonged periods of intensive farming.

More worryingly, technical assessments indicated that certain pathogens can persist in the soil for years, continuing to spread via irrigation water and plant debris if not managed through synchronized treatments.

Mr. Lu Trong Kien, Chief Operating Officer of Union Trading Investment Joint Stock Company, shared that the enterprise currently exports bananas to various markets—including Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Kuwait, and several Middle Eastern nations.

According to Mr. Kien, the present pressure on the enterprise rests not only on maintaining output volumes but also on ensuring uniform quality, controlling diseases, and satisfying increasingly elevated demands from importing markets.

“Previously, enterprises concentrated heavily on expanding cultivation areas and increasing yields. However, nowadays, if a growing zone fails to control diseases, chemical residues, or uniform quality, it becomes exceptionally difficult to safeguard export market share,” Mr. Kien stated.

The scenario unfolding at this banana farm mirrors the broader pressure confronting the entire export banana sector. As importing markets continuously elevate benchmarks regarding quality, traceability, and sustainability, maintaining stable and disease-safe growing zones is turning into a mandatory prerequisite for enterprises.

According to data from the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetables Association, in April 2026, Vietnam's banana exports reached 47.24 million USD, edging up slightly by 0.06% compared to the previous month and rising 0.6% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulatively for the first 4 months of the year, export turnover achieved 151.21 million USD. Banana continues to anchor its position in the top 6 flagship fruit export commodities of Vietnam.

Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetables Association, noted that the banana industry is entering a new competitive phase, where technology and production standards will dictate market retention capabilities. “International clients currently do not just look at the selling price; they care deeply about whether the production process is sustainable and whether growing zones fulfill green standards,” Mr. Nguyen analyzed.

Accelerating technological adoption

Faced with pressures from diseases, soaring production costs, and escalating demands from importing markets, the equation for banana enterprises no longer centers on increasing volume at all costs, but has shifted toward maximizing production efficiency on the exact same unit of land area.

According to sector experts, if investments previously focused predominantly on expanding cultivation land boundaries, the trend is now pivoting toward managing soil health, controlling diseases, economizing inputs, and elevating product quality via technology applications.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Tri, Director of Tri Viet Food Agricultural Products Production and Trading Co., Ltd., pointed out that numerous growing zones are currently confronting soil degradation due to the abuse of chemical fertilizers and plant protection substances over extended timelines.

“When the soil weakens and the microbial system loses its equilibrium, crops become highly vulnerable to diseases. To develop sustainably, we must rehabilitate the cultivation ecosystem instead of relying excessively on chemicals,” Mr. Tri emphasized.

According to Mr. Tri, many enterprises have begun transitioning toward biological cultivation solutions, precision nutrition management, and upgrading soil and water quality. This minimizes reliance on chemicals while satisfying increasingly stringent criteria from importing landscapes.

Technology is being integrated not only at the cultivation phase but also across multiple links within the value chain. Numerous enterprises are investing in automated irrigation systems, soil moisture tracking sensors, crop growth stage-specific nutrition management, and post-harvest preservation technologies to extend transit lifespans, minimize losses, and preserve product quality during export.

Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen reiterated that the banana sector is decisively moving from volume expansion targets toward upgrading production efficiency per unit area through technological application and growing zone governance.

“The world's largest banana-exporting nations all invest heavily in production technology—ranging from breeding and disease management to post-harvest preservation. This is precisely the path that Vietnamese enterprises must pursue if they wish to elevate their competitive edge,” Mr. Nguyen evaluated.

In the context of rising input costs and strict market requirements, applying technology not only drives up productivity margins but also contributes to stabilizing product quality, diminishing production risks, and multiplying export values.

“An enterprise's advantage in the coming time will not lie in how many hectares of land it owns, but in its capacity to govern growing zones, maintain uniform quality, and construct standard-compliant production chains,” Mr. Nguyen concluded.

Industry Note: Panama wilt disease caused by the Fusarium fungus is regarded as one of the single greatest fatal threats to the global banana industry. This fungus can persist in the soil for decades and spreads via irrigation water, arable soil, and production tools, making eradication attempts exceptionally complex.

Source: Bao Nong nghiep va Moi truong