Banana plantation
Banana plants may grow with varying degrees of success in diverse climatic conditions, but commercial banana plantations are primarily found in equatorial regions, in banana exporting countries. The four leading banana export countries worldwide are Ecuador, Costa Rica, Philippines, and Colombia. Ecuador provides more than 33% of global banana exports. In 2004, banana producing countries totaled 130. Production, as well as exports and imports of bananas, are nonetheless concentrated in a few equatorial countries. 75% of total banana production in 2004 was generated in 10 counties. India, Ecuador, Brazil and China produced half of total bananas. Latin American and Caribbean countries led banana production up to the 1980s, and Asian nations took the lead in banana production during the 1990s. African production levels have remained mostly unchanged.
Banana production in Ivory Coast
Banana production in Ivory Coast, as in most of Africa, is primarily for local consumption and consists of crops of dessert bananas, cooking bananas grown on open plantations, and as intermittent crops from sea level to elevations of 2000 metres above sea level. West Africa is second to Central Africa in banana production in Africa and its use as a staple crop for local residents. Most of the banana crop in Central Africa is for local consumption, bananas being a major foodstuff in this area.