India’s fruit import market is expected to expand over the next few years as more countries seek to supply this developing market, experts reveal.
India’s fruit import volumes have grown annually by an average 21 per cent over the past decade, according to Fresh Intelligence Consulting (FIC) figures.
Last year the market imported some 473,000 tonnes of fresh fruit, up from around 350,000 tonnes in 2016, and 300,000 tonnes in 2015.
While Asia continues to dominate as India’s chief fruit supplier with a 43 per cent import share in 2017, other regions are emerging as important sources, FIC figures show.
Fruit imports from Europe – mainly apples, kiwifruit and plums – have seen a 55 per cent rate of annual growth for the last ten years, according to FIC figures, and last year accounted for 12 per cent of total imports in volume terms.
The Middle East – chiefly Egypt, meanwhile, is becoming a significant citrus supplier, with 38 per cent per year since 2007.
Counter-seasonal fruit from Southern Hemisphere countries has also increased within the last decade, experiencing a growth rate of 10 per cent year-on-year, FIC figures show.
India’s developing economy, increasingly wealthy young demographic, and expanding modern retail sector are attracting new export countries to the market, according to traders.
“Everyone is looking at India as a consumption market, and it is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world with increasing per capita wealth,” Tarun Arora, managing director of Mumbai-based importer IG International, told Fruitnet. “This is the biggest reason driving this industry, and attracting new entrants.”
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