India's banana exports are going steady with rising winter demand, especially from Iran, says 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 international buyer requirements.
"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."
© Kulswamini Fruit Export
According to Rajput, the climate in Andhra Pradesh suits banana growing in winter. "Being a coastal area, it is less cold there. Andhra Pradesh also has fertile soil, which aids in producing good quality and taste," observes Rajput. However, bananas from Andhra have a shorter shelf-life of about 25 days compared to 20 to 22 days for 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.
© Kulswamini Fruit Export
Although his company only exports directly to Iran, the fruit is further distributed to nearby markets like Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan through Iranian ports. Small air shipments go to the US and UK via other exporters. He shares his plans to explore Russia as a new destination, noting strong demand, but will wait until war tensions and freight prices stabilize.
Looking ahead, Rajput is optimistic about continued demand growth in Iran over the next few weeks. "There is strong demand in Iran now. Rate increases are expected soon, especially for good-quality bananas from Andhra Pradesh, as the availability diminishes."
For more information:
Sagar Rajput
Kulswamini Fruit Export
Tel: +91 96 65 563 423
Email: [email protected]
Ameneh Sarzahi
Amu Mahan Energy
Tel: +98 910 858 3235
Email: [email protected]
