The soil-borne fungal disease Fusarium Tropical Race 4 (TR4) continues to spread through Latin America's banana-producing regions, with detections now recorded in Colombia (2019), Peru (2021), Venezuela (2023), and Ecuador (2025). In response, growers in Peru are conducting trials with Fusarium-resistant banana varieties to evaluate their viability under local conditions.
Ecuador is the world's largest banana exporter and a critical source of supply for North American retailers — the disease's arrival there in 2025 is the most significant development for U.S. buyers. TR4 has no effective chemical treatment and can persist in soil for decades, making resistant variety development the primary long-term solution for the industry.
This is a slow-moving but high-stakes situation for the global banana supply chain. Buyers and category managers should monitor how quickly TR4 spreads within Ecuador's producing regions, as any meaningful yield disruption there would be felt directly on U.S. shelves.