Banana exports from India rise tenfold in a decade; UP farmers to benefit the most

Lucknow : In a significant development on the agricultural front, India has witnessed tenfold rise in exports of banana in the past one decade, a recent report on export statistics and future projections released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has revealed.

Bananas are emerging as a lucrative crop for farmers. Recent export statistics and future projections released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry indicate significant growth potential.

In line with its farmer-centric vision, the Yogi government has been proactive in promoting banana cultivation and has declared it as the One District One Product (ODOP) for Kushinagar. This spells substantial benefits for banana growers in the state.

Notably, the central government has set a target to raise this figure to Rs 1 billion in the next two to three years. Uttar Pradesh farmers are poised to benefit the most from this growing export market and the plans to expand it further.

Additionally, farmers are being provided subsidies as incentives to cultivate high-quality bananas that meet market demands. These efforts are already yielding positive results.

In Uttar Pradesh’s Purvanchal and Awadh regions, districts like Kushinagar, Deoria, Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Ayodhya, Ambedkar Nagar, Amethi, and Barabanki are extensively engaged in banana farming. Over the past decade and a half, the acreage under banana cultivation has steadily increased.

Additionally, adopting superior varieties and advanced farming techniques has improved yield and quality. As a result, bananas from Uttar Pradesh are in high demand, not only in major cities across the country but also in states like Nepal, Bihar, Punjab, Delhi, and Jammu, as well as in Nepal.

During the seven-year tenure of the state government, Uttar Pradesh’s connectivity has reached global standards through expressways, airways, and rail services, with continuous improvements being made. As a result, being landlocked no longer holds significant relevance for the state’s progress.

Consequently, UP’s farmers are set to benefit the most from the central government’s initiatives. This is also because the Yogi government has already been actively promoting banana cultivation. The state provides a subsidy of approximately Rs 38,000 per hectare for banana farming.

Furthermore, farmers are being trained to process bananas into other products, such as fruit-based items, fiber, and juice from the stem. Farmers involved in banana processing are also being provided exposure opportunities. For instance, a few farmers from Kushinagar recently participated in a trade show held in Noida a few months ago.

According to the data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, banana exports from India have grown nearly tenfold over the past decade. In 2013, India exported bananas worth $27 million, which surged to $251.4 million by 2023/2024. With the rising global demand for healthy foods, there is considerable potential for further growth.

To ensure maximum benefits for India’s banana farmers, the Modi government is making concerted efforts. For the first time, a seller-buyer meet focused on bananas is proposed in Mumbai.

Additionally, bananas have been included in a pilot project by the central government for the cost-effective export of two dozen fruits via sea routes, owing to their promising potential. Naturally, these initiatives are expected to significantly benefit banana farmers in Uttar Pradesh.

The central Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has set a target to increase banana exports to $1 billion over the next two to three years.

According to APEDA data, India is the world’s largest banana producer. Statistics from the Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture indicate that bananas are cultivated on approximately 9,61,000 hectares in India, yielding around 3.5 crore metric tons annually.

APEDA also reports that India contributes nearly 30% to global banana production. However, despite this dominance, India’s share in the $16 billion global banana export market is only 1%.