New price floors take effect from January 2027, with different increases by origin, product type and delivery basis. The separate Fairtrade Premium remains unchanged.
Fairtrade’s revised banana Minimum Prices will raise the price floors for conventional bananas from Cameroon, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, as well as organic bananas from Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, from 1 January 2027.
For exporters and buyers, the relevant change depends on the precise product and trading basis. The official schedule distinguishes conventional from organic bananas and Ex Works prices from Free on Board prices at specified ports.
The country comparisons also use different currencies: Ghana and Cameroon have euro-denominated Minimum Prices, while Côte d’Ivoire’s are expressed in US dollars.
What changes at Ex Works level?
The following prices apply per standard 18.14 kg box, excluding the separate Fairtrade Premium.
| Origin and product | Currency | 2026 | 2027 | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cameroon, conventional | EUR | 8.55 | 8.90 | 4.1% |
| Ghana, conventional | EUR | 8.85 | 9.35 | 5.6% |
| Ghana, organic | EUR | 11.65 | 12.20 | 4.7% |
| Côte d’Ivoire, conventional | USD | 10.10 | 10.40 | 3.0% |
| Côte d’Ivoire, organic | USD | 12.20 | 12.50 | 2.5% |
What changes at FOB level?
These prices also apply per standard 18.14 kg box, excluding the separate Premium.
| Origin and product | Currency | 2026 | 2027 | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cameroon, conventional | EUR | 11.10 | 11.60 | 4.5% |
| Ghana, conventional | EUR | 11.50 | 12.10 | 5.2% |
| Ghana, organic | EUR | 14.35 | 15.00 | 4.5% |
| Côte d’Ivoire, conventional | USD | 13.65 | 14.10 | 3.3% |
| Côte d’Ivoire, organic | USD | 15.85 | 16.25 | 2.5% |
The specified FOB ports are Douala for Cameroon, Tema for Ghana and Abidjan for Côte d’Ivoire.
Source: Fairtrade Minimum Price and Premium Table, version dated 5 October 2026. Percentage changes are AfricaBusiness.com calculations, rounded to one decimal place.
The distinction between Ex Works and FOB matters when comparing quotations. Buyers should compare the same origin, product type, box weight, currency and delivery basis rather than treat every published figure as an interchangeable banana price.
Why the prices are changing
Fairtrade says its Minimum Price is based on the average cost of sustainable production. Its price-setting process draws on producer cost information, public sources and specialised banana-sector publications.
In announcing the revision, the organisation cited rising input and logistics costs alongside climate-related pressures, pests and diseases. These pressures can affect both day-to-day production and the investment needed to maintain resilient farms.
A revised floor provides a different minimum trading reference. It does not establish that every producer’s costs have risen by the same percentage or that every business will receive an equivalent increase in its realised selling price.
The Minimum Price is a floor
The revised figures apply to sales under the relevant Fairtrade terms. They are not a compulsory price for every banana exported from the three countries.
Fairtrade describes its Minimum Price as protection when the market price falls below the applicable floor. Where the market price is higher, buyers must pay the higher market price.
Consequently, an increase in the published minimum does not automatically translate into the same percentage increase in every existing commercial price.
Fairtrade International confirmed to AfricaBusiness.com that the January 2027 change applies to new or renewed contracts and to deliveries in 2027 under contracts signed earlier. It explained that prices are normally negotiated annually even where the underlying contracts cover several years.
The Premium remains separate
The Fairtrade Premium remains USD 1 per standard 18.14 kg box.
This payment is separate from the Minimum Price. A rise in the price floor does not, by itself, increase the Premium earned per box. Total Premium receipts also depend on the volume sold on Fairtrade terms.
For Ghana and Cameroon, this distinction includes a currency difference: the listed Minimum Prices are in euros, while the Premium is expressed in US dollars.
The distinction also matters when discussing benefits for workers. Minimum Prices, Premium payments and Living Wage Reference Prices are different components of Fairtrade’s approach; they should not be presented as interchangeable measures.
The Living Wage Differential is a separate, voluntary contribution from commercial partners intended to help close living wage gaps. It does not increase automatically when the Minimum Price rises.
Potential benefits for producers and workers
Dr Jonathan Lanidune, Programme Manager at Fairtrade Africa, welcomed the revised prices and their potential to strengthen producers’ economic position.
For producers, the revised prices have the potential to make a tangible difference not only by improving their economic prospects, but also by supporting better working and living conditions for workers.
That is a prospective assessment. The new prices have not yet taken effect, and their eventual impact will depend on trading conditions, sales volumes, production costs and how additional resources are used.
Higher price floors may support producers’ capacity to invest and work towards better wages. They do not establish that a living wage has already been achieved across the participating organisations.
Certified production in the three countries
Fairtrade International reported 12 certified banana organisations across Cameroon, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. It confirmed that their combined certified production in 2024 totalled approximately 62,071 tonnes.
This is a production figure, rather than the volume actually sold on Fairtrade terms. It should therefore not be used to calculate Premium receipts or the revenue affected by the new price floors.
What buyers and exporters should check
For 2027 negotiations, the practical starting point is the applicable row in Fairtrade’s official price schedule.
Both parties should confirm the origin, conventional or organic status, box weight, currency and delivery basis. The separate Premium should be identified clearly, alongside the agreed commercial price and the treatment of deliveries under existing contracts.
Businesses using different packaging weights or formats should consult Fairtrade’s relevant calculation tools rather than apply the standard-box figures without adjustment.
The resulting comparison is more useful than a single headline percentage: it shows exactly which price floor applies to the transaction being negotiated.
Sources
- Fairtrade Minimum Price and Premium Table, version dated 5 October 2026, pages 14–15 and 18. Percentage changes are AfricaBusiness.com calculations.
- Fairtrade Minimum Price and Premium Information, including banana packaging calculation tools.
- Fairtrade’s banana Minimum Price announcement, 5 October 2026.
- Written clarifications supplied to AfricaBusiness.com by Fairtrade International on 13 and 22 October 2026, including the comment from Fairtrade Africa.
Photography: Fairtrade International. Used with permission.