The ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran has thrown India’s fruit and vegetable export trade into disarray. Hundreds of containers loaded with bananas, grapes, onions, watermelon and muskmelon, among other local agricultural commodities, are stranded at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) near Mumbai, as shipping lines have suspended services to the Middle East. Port authorities say around 1,000 containers are currently stuck at terminals, and the Centralised Parking Plaza (CPP), and the number is growing daily as fresh consignments continue to arrive.Container lines have diverted vessels via the Cape of Good Hope, adding to transit time, freight costs and congestion at Indian ports. New bookings to accept fresh consignments have been halted. The disruption has come particularly during the month of Ramzan, when demand for fresh produce in Gulf countries is traditionally at its peak.BananasBanana trade from Solapur has taken one of the hardest hits. Grower-exporter Abhijeet Patil from Karmala taluka, who farms 13 acres, said around 350 containers of bananas are stranded at JNPA, of which approximately 250 are from Solapur alone. Solapur exports around 40,000 containers of bananas annually.“Export rates, which ranged from Rs 19 to Rs 24 per kg, have already fallen to Rs 9-10 per kg. If the situation does not resolve within two to three weeks, exporters may be forced to offload stock in the domestic market, where prices are as low as Rs 5-6 per kg. Cold storage extends shelf life by about a month, but adds around Rs 1.3 per kg every eight days, an additional cost that eats into already shrinking margins,” Patil added.Also Read | Govt plans to boost exports of 20 items, including bananas and mangoes, as agri exports slip 9%Hanuman Dake, a Jalgaon-based banana farmer, said, “Local, GI-tagged Jalgaon bananas, which are usually exported to destinations like Dubai, have seen prices plummet as exports have stalled. And with this, there is an oversupply in the domestic market, causing farmers to struggle with unsold inventory.”Mumbai-based exporter Satish Pawar said, “Some banana containers that had already left India 10 to 15 days ago, en route to Iran and Dubai, have been offloaded mid-route at ports in the UAE’s Khorfakkan, Oman, and Mundra, as the closure of Iranian and Dubai ports left ships with nowhere to berth. Around 400 banana containers are currently stuck in transit.”GrapesIn Sangli, around 230 grape containers are stranded at JNPA, with more sitting in cold storage centres. Exporter-farmer Vishal Joshi from Sangli said, “Shipping lines have not only stopped operations on the Middle East corridor but are now expected to impose an additional freight surcharge of $3,800 per container on top of the existing $1,000, a total that makes the trade economics unviable.”Story continues below this ad“Around 3,500 containers of grapes are exported annually from Maharashtra, with approximately 2,000 from Nashik and the remainder from Sangli and other regions. No new bookings are being accepted,” he added.Grape farmer Ravindra Koli from Anjani village in Sangli said rates have dropped sharply. “Export rates for black grapes fell from around Rs 185 per kg at the end of January to Rs 110, while green grapes have dropped from Rs 135 to Rs 90. With harvest underway, the delay is adding another concern: as grapes dehydrate over their five-month cycle, sugar concentration rises, altering taste and composition, and ultimately affecting the price the produce can fetch,” Koli said.OnionsNashik’s Lasalgaon market, the country’s largest onion trading hub, is seeing its own strain. Exporter Jayachandra Muthyala said, “Around 300 containers of onions are already stuck at JNPA, with the number set to rise until shipping resumes. Around 400 to 500 tractors arrive daily at Lasalgaon for auction as the current harvest season is underway. New production from Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool, Tamil Nadu, and other Maharashtra regions is further adding to supply.”Also Read | Explained: Here’s why the Centre has banned the export of onionsBefore the conflict, export auction rates ranged from Rs 14-16 per kg. They have already slid to Rs 11-13, and Muthyala said that if exports remain stalled beyond 10 days, rates could fall to Rs 9 per kg. “Old-season onions are nearing the end of their shelf life, and managing that stock alongside the incoming fresh harvest, without export as an outlet, is becoming increasingly difficult for traders,” he added.WatermelonsPune-based exporter Mayur Sapkal said Maharashtra exports around 500 containers of watermelons annually, each carrying approximately 12 tonnes. “My purchase rate this season was Rs 25 per kg, a good price for farmers, but it has already dropped to Rs 14-15 and could fall to Rs 10 if the disruption continues. Over 50 watermelon containers are currently stranded at JNPA,” he said.Story continues below this ad“While Oman’s port remains operational, the closure of Dubai, the primary re-export hub for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar, among other countries, has effectively cut off much of the Gulf market. Plug-in charges for containers after the complimentary period run to Rs 15,000-20,000 per container, making prolonged storage at port financially unsustainable,” Sapkal added.Also Read | Amid ongoing conflict in West Asia, Indian Exporters meet Commerce ministry to share concerns over UAE trade disruption, rise in freight ratesThe wider concernThe strain is being felt across the supply chain. If shipping lines do not resume operations soon, exporters across all commodities say they will have no choice but to divert export-grade produce to the domestic market, driving down prices for farmers and traders alike.Alphonso mango farmers, whose peak export season is approaching, are also watching the situation anxiously, fearing a significant blow if the conflict drags on.“Bananas, grapes, and onions are main exports from Maharashtra. Farmers and traders are suffering major losses. The goods are stuck in transit as well. I request the government to intervene and provide compensation,” said Pune-based trader Suyog Zende.