IG Mountain Blue

IG director Tarun Arora, Mountain Blue managing director Andrew Bell, IG chief executive Sanjeev Gulati and Mountain Blue international business manager Mano Babiolakis

Mumbai-based importer IG International will grow blueberries in India under a joint venture agreement with Australian company Mountain Blue.

To be known as BerryLife, the new venture will initially comprise a 50ha production site in Western India. Berries will be harvested from February until August, with planting expected to begin early next year.

Upon announcing the new partnership at Asia Fruit Logistica, IG International director Tarun Arora said the berries would be high yielding and high quality.

“These are sweet and crunchy in flavour with extremely good shelf life,” Arora explained. “We are very confident that this will add to our revenue significantly in years to come.”

Mountain Blue managing director Andrew Bell said the joint venture was an extremely exciting opportunity for the Australian owned blueberry company.

“I am personally very proud of this joint venture and see it as huge growth opportunity in India, which is a great market for fresh produce from around the world,” Bell told Asiafruit.