Middle East conflict disrupts Maharashtra banana exports, prices crash
Banana farmers in Maharashtra are having a tough time right now: exports to the Middle East have been disrupted because of ongoing conflict, leaving huge amounts of bananas stuck in India.
With so much extra supply, prices crashed from ₹18 to ₹22 per kilogram in February 2026 to just ₹2 to ₹3 by April, making it almost impossible for growers, especially in Jalgaon and Solapur, to cover their costs.
Maharashtra growers seek urgent government support
Many farmers, like Bhagwat Holkar from Solapur, who invested ₹20 lakh last year, expect to recover only a fraction of what they spent.
Some have even destroyed their crops because selling them doesn't cover transport or labor costs.
Now, Some growers are switching to safer crops like sugarcane and asking the government for urgent support and help finding new export markets.