While the tensions between India and Pakistan still remain at high levels, the demand for their sweet bananas isn't changing. Pakistan is seeing a higher demand for fruit from the country and exports from India have begun to resume. This follows a drop by nearly 99% of exports last year.
“The strains between the two countries, coupled with drought-like conditions in Maharashtra, had hit exports to Pakistan. However, the export to Pakistan began again last week, through Jammu and Kashmir. There is an increasing demand for Indian bananas from Pakistan,” said Unmesh Chaudhari, a trader from Raver.
According to Chaudhari, as many as 40-50 trucks, packed with the fruit, ply to Pakistan every day. He claimed that the demand for bananas from Jalgaon remained high across the border.
India is the world’s leading producer of bananas, accounting for nearly 28 per cent of the total production of the fruit. Cultivated over an area of almost 8 lakh hectares, nearly 2.97 crore metric tonnes of bananas are produced in the country.
