West Asia war eats into export of banana leaves

Though the technology transfer for the production, handling and export of banana leaves by the ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana (ICAR-NRCB) has helped increase the shelf life of the product, the sector has been hit by the ongoing conflict in West Asia this year.
“We have done the technology transfer for three companies in Tamil Nadu and a government initiative in Keralam since 2023, especially for banana leaf export. After harvest, fresh leaves can last at ambient temperature for a maximum of six days. However, for export, they have to be kept in cold storage at a temperature of 10 to 12 degrees Celsius, with a humidity level of 90-95%. The leaves have to be packed in refrigerated containers. At present, banana leaves are predominantly exported to West Asian countries through Kochi,” R. Selvarajan, director, NRCB, said.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries — Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait — are a major market for banana leaves, given the large Indian expatriate population there. However, the ongoing war in West Asia has affected exporters across the board, with the fresh produce sector suffering widespread spoilage due to port closures and transport delays.