Workers packing bananas for export at a packaging unit close to Chinnamanur in Theni district, Tamil Nadu.
| Photo Credit: KARTHIKEYAN G
With efficiently exporting a trial cargo of fresh bananas to the Netherlands by sea route, India is now aiming to extend exports of this fruit to $1 billion in the next 5 years, an official stated.
At current, exports of a lot of the fruits from India are occurring by air route due to decrease volumes and totally different ripening intervals.
To improve the volumes, India is growing sea protocols for fresh vegatables and fruits like bananas, mangoes, pomegranates and jackfruit to advertise their exports by ocean routes.
The protocol contains understanding voyage time, scientifically understanding the ripening of those commodities, harvesting at a specific time and coaching of farmers. These protocols will likely be totally different for various vegatables and fruits.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), together with different stakeholders, has developed these protocols for bananas. APEDA is an arm of the Commerce Ministry.
“With the successful trial shipment, India aims to export bananas worth over USD one billion in the next five years, opening doors to a diversified market portfolio through sea route,” the official stated.
The trial cargo reached Rotterdam, Netherlands on December 5. The consignment was shipped from Baramati, Maharashtra.
India’s banana export locations lengthen past the Middle East, with potential alternatives in main international gamers just like the U.S., Russia, Japan, Germany, China, the Netherlands, the UK, and France, the official added.
Despite being the world’s largest banana producer, India’s export share is at the moment only one per cent in the worldwide market, despite the fact that the nation accounts for 26.45 per cent of the world’s banana manufacturing at 35.36 million metric tonnes.
In 2022-23, India exported bananas price $176 million, equal to 0.36 MMT.
The primary banana producing states embody Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.
Assistant Professor and professional on Agri Economics Chirala Shankar Rao stated that massive export potential for bananas is there from Andhra Pradesh.
APEDA’s steady efforts, together with B2B exhibitions and the event of sea protocols for different fruits, spotlight a proactive strategy to spice up India’s agricultural exports, the official added.
