India's banana exports are showing consistent year-on-year growth, targeting the Middle East, Russia, and Eastern Europe, says Vivek Karape of Indian fruit exporter SunRaise Farmers. "The export momentum is being backed by improved post-harvest handling, pack-house expansions, and buyer awareness of flavor and nutritional quality. While India trails Ecuador and the Philippines in volume, India's Solapur bananas compete through competitive pricing and a natural taste profile from mineral-rich soils."
Vivek highlights how Solapur's semi-arid climate reduces fungal pressure while drip irrigation and black loamy soils produce uniform Cavendish G9 fingers with thick peels and firm pulp suited for medium-haul exports. "Maharashtra stands out for its better shelf life, lower rejections, and consistent color development of bananas. Tissue culture varieties deliver higher yields, disease resistance, and export uniformity over traditional types, but farmers hesitate due to past payment risks and market uncertainty," he notes
© SunRaise Farmers
According to Vivek, export prices rose 8-12% this season against last year, with the strongest gains in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar driven by Indian diaspora preference and proximity. He explains, "Chilling injury below 13°C persists but improved this season through insulated containers and farmer training on harvest maturity. Russia and Eastern Europe show growing acceptance despite freight volatility, valuing aroma and micronutrient density from India's diverse agro-climatic zones.
Sun Raise Farmers is addressing fragmented supply chains through cluster-based aggregation with written procurement commitments and end-to-end traceability, building trust where farmers once feared non-payment. "We're promoting a zero-waste model that diverts lower grades to banana chips, powder, and vegan leather manufacturing, and are seeing 10 to 20% higher farmer returns versus fresh-only sales," Vivek mentions.
© SunRaise Farmers
"This protects farmers from price swings by sending fresh bananas to export when prices rise and processing them into chips or powder when prices fall, while also creating jobs in grading and packaging." He adds that Indian banana packaging lags with basic cartons needing 5 to 7 ply ventilation upgrades for standardization and reduced transit damage to match Latin American competitors. Expansion plans target Central Asia and Africa as new destinations alongside trials with high-density Cavendish G9 clones and specialty varieties."
Looking ahead, Vivek expects domestic prices to remain stable through controlled supply ahead of winter peaks, with contract demand rising. "We have an integrated plan to make banana farming a diversified agri-enterprise. Our aim is to position Solapur for branded premium exports beyond commodity trade," Vivek concludes.
For more information:
Vivek Karape
SunRaise Farmers
Tel: +91 70 28 920 954
Email:[email protected]
www.sunraisefarmers.com
