Pune, March 13 -- Banana exports from Solapur district, one of Maharashtra's key export hubs for the fruit, have come to a halt amid the ongoing tensions in West Asia, leaving thousands of tonnes of produce stuck in cold storage facilities and pushing prices sharply downward. The export-oriented banana belt around Kandhar village in Karmala, located along the backwaters of the Ujani dam, is known for producing high-quality bananas shipped to several Arab countries including Iran, Iraq, the UAE, and Oman. Farmers and exporters said harvesting and cold storage operations have slowed significantly after export consignments got stuck at Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT). In Karmala and neighbouring tehsils such as Malshiras, nearly 24,000 metric tonnes of bananas are currently stored and awaiting export. "Earlier we used to sell export-quality bananas at Rs.19 to Rs.24 per kg. But if we sell the same bananas in the local market, the prices have dropped to around Rs.8 to Rs.9 per kg," said a local exporter. "If we sell the produce in the local market, it will be a complete loss," said Kiran Doke of KD group, which exports bananas to the gulf region. According to exporters, several refrigerated containers that had already been dispatched from Karmala to JNPT are now stuck at the port due to disruptions in shipping routes and rising freight costs linked to the conflict. Shipping companies have reportedly imposed additional war-risk charges of nearly $4,000 per container, significantly increasing export costs. Exporters, said if the situation continues, farmers and traders could face losses exceeding Rs.200 crore in the coming weeks....