Sri Lanka grows many banana varieties, and its local types are sought after by Sri Lankan and South Asian buyers abroad. Ambul is a small, slightly sour banana; kolikuttu is sweet and fragrant. Cavendish is grown for export and supermarkets, and ash plantain is a cooking banana. Fresh bananas and plantains exported about US$16 million in 2025, mainly to the Gulf and Maldives.

Ripeness and handling

Bananas are harvested green and ripen during and after transit. Ripeness on arrival is agreed with you, and the time from harvest to arrival decides whether air or sea is right.

Mixed shipments

Bananas often travel with vegetables, coconuts and other fruit in one shipment.

Import paperwork

Fresh produce needs a phytosanitary certificate from Sri Lanka’s National Plant Quarantine Service, and many countries set their own conditions for each fruit or vegetable, which can include treatment or a permit. Check your country’s rules before ordering; we supply the export documents.

What to tell us for a quote

• The product, grade or specification you need, and a reference sample if you have one
• Quantity per order and how often you buy
• Pack size, packaging and labelling
• Destination port and the Incoterm you prefer
• Documents your market requires, such as a certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate or lab test reports

Packing and shipping

Orders are packed to your instruction and shipped by sea in a full or shared container, or by air for samples and small lots, quoted FOB Colombo, CFR or CIF to your port. Products from several Sri Lankan suppliers can share one container through our consolidation service.

How to get a price: tell us the quantity, your specification and your destination port. We quote FOB Colombo, CFR or CIF, with lead time and minimum order, and arrange samples before an order.