Mumbai: In a significant stride toward expanding India’s agricultural export footprint, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), operating under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, successfully orchestrated the export of bananas from India to Russia via sea. M/s. Gurukrupa Corporation Pvt. Ltd., a Mumbai-based exporter specializing in fruits and vegetables, spearheaded this landmark shipment.
A consignment comprising 20 metric tons (1540 boxes) of bananas commenced its journey from Maharashtra on 17th February. Abhishek Dev, Chairman of APEDA, flagged off the shipment, emphasizing the collaborative efforts with the Central Institute of Sub-tropical Horticulture (CISH) and showcasing a novel sea protocol developed by CISH to preserve fruit quality during transit.
Chairman APEDA urged exporters to explore innovative shipping methods for venturing into new markets, with APEDA committed to supporting and facilitating such endeavors. He highlighted the organization’s financial assistance scheme, which now places special emphasis on bolstering women entrepreneurs in the agriculture sector. Shri Abhishek Dev applauded the contribution of CISH in crafting sea protocols and congratulated all involved in the successful flag-off.
Russia has recently expressed keen interest in procuring tropical fruits from India, with bananas emerging as a major agricultural import. Traditionally sourced from Ecuador in Latin America, bananas from India are gaining traction in the Russian market.
Apart from Russia, major export destinations for Indian bananas include Iran, Iraq, UAE, Oman, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Afghanistan, and the Maldives. India eyes opportunities in countries like the USA, Japan, Germany, China, the Netherlands, the UK, and France.
The consignment was flagged off under the banner of M/s. Gurukrupa Corporation Pvt., Ltd., a registered exporter with a focus on women entrepreneurship. The company procured bananas directly from farmers in Andhra Pradesh, processed them in an APEDA-approved packhouse in Maharashtra, and ensured their safe transport to the Novorossiysk port in Russia.
India, particularly Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh, dominates global banana production, contributing around 67 percent to the country’s output. Despite being the leading producer, India’s share in the global banana export market is only 1%.
Within the next five years, India aims to elevate banana exports to a billion USD. This ambitious goal is poised to enhance farmers’ income, benefit over 25,000 farmers, and generate employment for more than 50,000 individuals directly or indirectly associated with the supply chain.
APEDA’s continuous efforts to promote the export of fresh fruits and vegetables include organizing B2B exhibitions globally, exploring new markets through targeted marketing campaigns, and focusing on natural, organic, and Geographical Indication (GI) tagged agro-products. Developing sea protocols for the export of perishable items is a pivotal aspect of APEDA’s strategy to expand the reach of Indian agricultural products.