Banana industry
In 2016, world production of bananas and plantains was 148 million tonnes, led by India and China with a combined total (only for bananas) of 28% of global production (table). Other major producers were the Philippines, Ecuador, Indonesia, and Brazil, together accounting for 20% of the world total of bananas and plantains (table).
Economy of Guadeloupe
In Guadeloupe, agriculture constituted 6 percent of GDP and employed 15 percent of the work-force in 1997, which equaled approximately 120,000. The main crops are sugarcane & bananas. Large sugar plantations that produce for both export and local consumption purposes continue to dominate. Sugarcane is grown on western and central parts of Grande-Terre due to its flatlands and rainfall of 1500 to 2500  mm. & on the northeast section of Basse-Terre. There are rum distilleries to produce rum from sugar. Bananas are grown mainly on the western sides of the mountains on Basse-Terre & on the eastern coast of Basse-Terre. The growing of bananas for export began as early as 1922 but the trade grew rapidly when farmers planted bananas to replace their coffee and cocoa which had been destroyed by a hurricane in 1928. In 2000, 121,758 tons of bananas were exported, 72 percent of which were purchased by the French metropolis. In 1999, Guadeloupe formed 8.2% of the banana production in the Caribbean. Other export crops are coffee, cocoa & citrus fruit.