Bananas are one of the most essential fruits for good health. These are famous in India as well as abroad. Being rich in nutrition elements, bananas are preferred across the world. Coming to its mandi trade, traders buy and sell bananas on a large scale in the Indian mandis.

Now, let’s dive deeper into Indian Banana Cultivation, varieties of banana, its production, and its mandi trade across the country.

Indian Banana Cultivation: Banana Cultivation in India

India is one of the major banana producing countries in the world. It accounts for 25% of the world’s banana production. Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh account for about 70 percent of the total banana production in the country. India’s banana production has been rising continuously since 2005. While the total production in India was up to 20 million metric tons in 2006, it crossed the limit of 30 million metric tons in 2017. In India, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Karnataka contribute significantly to the production of bananas in India. Andhra Pradesh is the largest banana producing state with a share of 16.27%. Gujarat and Maharashtra are the second and third largest producers of bananas, their share being 14% and 13% respectively.

Banana Cultivation in the World

The major banana-producing countries in the world are Philippines, China, Ecuador, Brazil, and Indonesia. India and China have been the world’s largest banana producers over the past decade, accounting for more than 40% of the world’s total banana production. Most of the bananas produced in India and China are consumed domestically, while Philippines supplies bananas to international markets. Ecuador is the world’s largest banana exporter among the top five exporters with an annual growth rate of 9%. Indonesia, Philippines, and Costa Rica are the other largest exporters of bananas.

Banana Season in India

Bananas are cultivated in warm tropical regions in about 120 countries across the world. The season in India lasts throughout the year. Banana arrivals start increasing in April and reach their peak between August and October. Its cultivation in India accounts for 20% of the total area. Mainly the sown crop of bananas is ready for harvesting 12-15 months after sowing, and the primary harvesting season is from September to April. In Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Manipur, Assam, and Tripura, the season lasts throughout the year. In other states like Gujarat, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand, the harvesting season starts in September and ends in November. For the mandi trade, bananas are bought and kept in cold storage.

Banana Varieties in India

About 300 types of bananas are cultivated around the world. Whereas in India, 15-20 varieties of bananas are cultivated commercially.

• Dwarf Cavendish: It is the main commercial variety cultivated for table and processing purposes in Maharashtra, Bihar, Gujarat, and West Bengal. It is also cultivated in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. ‘Basrai’ is one of the most popular commercial Indian banana varieties. It is also one of the most preferred banana types in Maharashtra.
• Robusta: Bananas in this variety are mainly produced for table use in Tamil Nadu and parts of Karnataka. Robusta is one of the popular table varieties of bananas in India.
• Red Banana: This is one of the most popular banana varieties in Tamil Nadu. It is commercially grown in Kerala and Tamil Nadu districts of Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli. Red bananas are also popular in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and western and central India. In Bihar and other parts of the country, it is known as ‘Lal Velchi’ and in Karnataka as ‘Chandra Bale’.
• Grand Nine: Compared to other Cavendish varieties, ‘Grand Nine’ is a globally recognized international variety of bananas. The ‘Grand Nine’ variety is imported from Israel.
• Poovan: It is one of the major commercial banana varieties in Andhra Pradesh. Poovan is a commonly cultivated commercial cultivar in India, which includes ecotypes – Palayankodan in Kerala, Karpura Chakkarkeli in Andhra Pradesh, Poovan in Tamil Nadu, and Alpan in the North Eastern region.
• Nendran: It is one of the popular varieties of bananas cultivated in Kerala. It is used for both table and processing purposes. Also, Nendran is now being used for commercial purposes in Tamil Nadu.
• Ney Poovan: The most delicate variety grown commercially in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. It is currently being extensively cultivated in Kerala.

Commercial Banana Varieties in India

Many types of bananas are grown in India. However, only a few varieties are used for processing, and the rest are used for domestic consumption. In the commercial sector, bananas are classified into puree and sweetener. The commercial varieties of Indian bananas are Dwarf Cavendish, Robusta, Poovan, Nendran, Red Banana, Ardharpuri, Ney Poovan, Basarai, Karpuravalli, and Rusthali.

Making the World Go Bananas 🌏

India’s banana exports grow 8 fold in 9 years during the April-May period.

The rising exports benefit our farmers immensely while enhancing India’s agricultural exports earnings. pic.twitter.com/nhrXFSiTn7

— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) July 12, 2022

Banana Export

Due to their good taste, Indian bananas are in high demand across the world. Countries that import bananas from India include Iran, UAE, Iraq, and Oman. India’s exports of bananas have increased both in terms of quantity and value. According to government data, 1.34 lakh metric tonnes of Indian bananas were exported in the year 2018-19. Its cost was Rs. 413 crore. Exports also increased in 2019-20, and India exported 1.95 lakh metric tonnes of bananas worth Rs. 660 crore.

In a nutshell, there are ample opportunities to earn profits in the trading business of bananas in India. All you have to do is find the right banana mandi buyer/supplier to trade with. If you are facing troubles in doing so, Bijak Agriculture Trading App will help you connect with India’s most trusted banana mandi traders.

We hope you found this blog insightful. And if you wish to know about other mandi agriculture commodities, do let us know through the comments below.