Banana exports in jeopardy

Banana industry is predominantly located in Sindh province; it is confronting considerable challenges due to climate variability.

According to the Pakistan Horticulture Development & Export Company (PHDEC) Report 2024, Sindh plays a critical role in Pakistan’s banana industry, contributing nearly 93 percent of the total cultivated area and 83 percent of the national banana production, underscoring its significance within the country’s agricultural sector.

Surging temperatures, irregular rainfall patterns, and extreme climate events have adversely influenced banana production. The 2022 floods in Sindh damaged over 20 percent of banana production, leading to substantial financial losses for banana growers. Prolonged droughts and escalating water shortages further exacerbate the situation, making it challenging to maintain high yields.

The prominent Cavendish banana variety, known for its commercial appeal, has led to genetic uniformity, making the crop highly vulnerable to diseases. Fungal diseases as Black Leaf Streak and Panama Disease pose significant threats to banana crops. These diseases thrive in the changing climatic conditions, reducing photosynthetic capability and, consequently, banana productivity.

High temperatures cause physiological disorders in bananas, leading to quality defects as chilling injury and sunburn. These conditions result in substandard banana fruit quality that fails to meet international export standards. In 2023, despite the country’s production potential exceeding 600,000 metric tons, Pakistan managed to export only around 50,000 metric tons, indicating a major under-utilization of its export capacity.

Additionally, post-harvest losses due to insufficient cold storage, packaging, and logistics infrastructure further weaken country’s position in the international banana trade dynamics. By contrast, countries like the Philippines and Ecuador have invested tremendously in banana value chain improvements, enabling them to dominate global markets with consistent quality control.

Understanding the urgency of situation, the PHDEC has launched a pilot project distributing banana bunch bags to farmers in the Hyderabad- Thatta region to improve export infrastructure and quality control.

Basically, this initiative aims to improve the quality and cosmetic appeal of bananas, facilitating their entry into more lucrative export market avenues.

“These bunch bags made a big difference this year,” noted Imran Bhutto, a farmer participating in the PHDEC pilot. “My bananas looked better, and I was able to get a higher price at the local mandi.”

Agricultural experts and climate based working groups are calling for further innovation and diversification, including the development of disease-resistant banana cultivars, expansion of drip irrigation systems, and training programs for growers on climate-resilient farming practices.

There is growing recognition of the need to establish regional cold storage networks and export facilitation centers, particularly in key banana-producing regions like Tando Allahyar and Matiari. These investments are critical to reducing post-harvest losses and improving the competitiveness of Pakistan’s banana exports.

Bananas are a vital source of nutrition for many low-income and vulnerable communities, providing potassium, essential micro-nutrients, and energy at an affordable cost. Encouraging resilient cultivation techniques are essential for farmers’ livelihood protection and ensuring continued access to cost-effective nutritional fruit.

This industry now encounters a defining moment. Without immediate measures to inculcate climate adaptation, establish infrastructure, and support farmers through integrated approach, this sector may continue to decline.

But with the right mix of policy actions, climate-smart agriculture, crop insurance coverage and collaborations with the private sector, the banana industry may revive and even expand its contribution in the regional export markets. These actions taken today will define the position, whether this industry remains to fragile or emerges as a stronger one, contributing meaningfully to national nutritional security.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025