Banana exports from India are going steady with rising winter demand, particularly from Iran, according to Sagar Rajput of Kulswamini Fruit Export. “There is a lot of opportunity in banana exports, and right now the market is doing very well.” Kulswamini Fruit mainly exports the G9 Cavendish variety and adjusts sourcing based on the season to meet the requirements of international buyers.
“From January to May, we source from Jalgaon, subsequently between May to November from Temburni in Solapur. Then, from November to December, the sourcing is from Andhra Pradesh,” Rajput explains. Bananas from Maharashtra face winter chill injury because temperatures dip below 10 degrees in major production regions. “Chilling causes red lines under the skin, and after ripening, the bananas stay green. This kind of fruit does not work for exports, as export markets expect bananas to be fully yellow and at least 9 to 10 inches long.”
According to Rajput, the climate in Andhra Pradesh is suitable for growing bananas in winters. “Being a coastal area, it is less cold there. Andhra Pradesh also has fertile soil, which aids in producing good quality and taste,” Rajput said. However, bananas from Andhra have a shorter shelf-life of about 25 days, compared to 20 to 22 days in Jalgaon and 40-45 days for Solapur bananas, he shares. Prices vary by region, and at the moment, Andhra Pradesh bananas without chilling injury sell for around USD 0.25 per kg while Maharashtra bananas with chilling injury sell near USD 0.1 per kg.
Rajput ships bananas only to Iran. “Last year we shipped around 500 containers, and this year our goal is 1000. The large volumes to Iran strongly influence banana prices in India. High demand occurs especially when it gets cold in Iran and other summer fruits become scarce,” he explains. Although his company exports only to Iran directly, through Iranian ports, the fruit finds its way into other neighboring markets, such as Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Small lots are airlifted to the US and UK through other exporters. He does say he intends to try Russia as a new destination soon, adding that demand was very good, but will await the stabilization of war tension and freight prices. For the coming weeks, Rajput expects further growth in demand in Iran. “There is strong demand in Iran now. Rate increases are expected soon, especially for good-quality bananas from Andhra Pradesh, as the availability diminishes.”
