Heavy rainfall and flooding have hit banana plantations across Costa Rica's Caribbean production regions, with some fields remaining flooded for up to 36 hours. Affected areas include major producing zones such as Matina, Guácimo, Siquirres, Pocoí, Limón, Talamanca, Valle de la Estrella, and Sarapiquí, with the heaviest impacts occurring between August 15 and the end of the month.
Costa Rica is one of the largest banana export sources for the North American market. Extended flooding creates ideal conditions for fungal diseases like Black Sigatoka, which can reduce yield and fruit quality over the medium term even after water recedes. Extended saturation also delays field operations and can damage root systems.
Banana buyers and category managers should monitor for any supply tightening or quality concerns in the coming weeks as the damage is assessed. This is worth watching heading into the fall, when any volume shortfall in a staple category like bananas gets amplified quickly.