India’s banana growers are facing mounting pressure as disruptions to export shipments to the Middle East have begun to affect both fruit quality and farm-level returns. The disruption around the Strait of Hormuz has significantly lengthened transit times to key markets, weakening one of India’s biggest advantages in the regional banana trade—short delivery times.
Shipments from India to Jebel Ali in the UAE, which previously took around five to seven days, can now take more than 30 days because of the disruption to shipping routes. The extended journey is particularly damaging for bananas, which are highly perishable and require carefully managed temperature and logistics conditions.
The longer transit times are putting quality and profit margins under pressure. Exporters face higher logistics costs while growers risk receiving lower prices when consignments are delayed, rejected or arrive with reduced shelf life.
The impact is particularly significant for banana-producing regions in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, where growers have increasingly focused on export markets in the Gulf. Earlier disruptions also left banana consignments stranded in ports and transit networks, forcing some produce back into domestic markets where prices can be considerably lower.
India’s banana export sector has expanded rapidly in recent years. Export values reached about $462 million in FY2025-26, although exports remain a relatively small share of India’s overall banana production.
The current disruption is also encouraging exporters to diversify sourcing and markets. Exporters have been looking beyond traditional Gulf destinations, including trial shipments to Russia, while sourcing bananas from additional producing states such as Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
For growers, however, market diversification may take time to offset the immediate impact of disrupted Gulf shipments. With bananas having a limited shelf life, reliable shipping schedules, faster transit and affordable freight remain critical to protecting farmer incomes and sustaining India’s growing position in the international banana trade.