India isn’t putting all its eggs into one basket, and it is still importing apples from different sources, according to Prashant Gidwani, the founder of Indian exporter of fruit Fresh Fruit Alliances. “We have the bulk of our apple supply directly from Turkey, Poland in the northern hemisphere as well as South Africa, Brazil and Chile from south-western northern hemisphere. Based on the current trends this is the most well-known suppliers to India due to their cost-effective pricing and superior quality. India is still one of the largest export markets for apples. But, it’s priced-driven.”
According to Gidwani’s report Gidwani, Turks have seen a rise in their standing within the Indian market in recent times. “During these past years, the countries of Turkey, Iran and Poland have gotten to know and appreciate the dynamic of markets in India and have become top producers of goods and services to Indian consumers.” Indian market. But, Turkey is in a higher place this year compared with other countries because of its high-priced products as well as its high-quality. In the past, there has been the preference of Red Delicious for the Indian market. India and remains the most popular option for Indian customers, followed by the Royal Gala.”
The burden of high freight costs is an issue for many in these past couple of seasons. Importers were forced to search to find the most affordable price even if it meant using a different supplier Gidwani says: “A two-fold increase in sea freight was an enormous issue. This was solved by shifting from the point of origin such as South Africa with its close proximity could be able to reach the Indian market at less sea freight costs and faster transit times compared to Chile or Brazil. But, now we are witnessing a slowing in the cost of freight as well as an increased demand has resulted in an impressive season for Indian fruit import industry.”
With regards to types of club when it comes to club varieties, the Indian consumers haven’t fully been accustomed to them at this point. The more common varieties are still sought-after due to their price according to Gidwani. “Despite the unique qualities, India remains one of the largest importers of apples. But there is a high price-sensitivity market with a narrow access on club varieties as compared with other popular kinds. With the advent of a growing middle class, and a high-spending capacity, there’ll always exist a small-scale suppliers to offer apple varieties that are club-specific. The volumes might not be as comparable to the common kinds.”
Each year, a lot of apples are picked in India however there’s the need to import. Since acreage doesn’t increase and demand is growing and the demand for apples is increasing, imports of apple will continue to be essential to consumers in India. Indian buyer, as Gidwani says: “Despite the large apple harvest in India and the limited space that can be expanded, there’s little or no increase in the quantity of Indian apple production.. But, the advancement of technology and improved Cold storage systems have led to a higher quality product and a longer time to store Indian apple varieties. The result is a narrowing of the time frame for imports but is not a significant influence on the import of apple market. Imports from India of apples are predicted to rise for the near future due to the steady rise in the demand. There are many reasons for this like a rising populace, disposable incomes healthy eating habits, good quality fruits available on the market and many more.”
“Apples are the most sought-after fruit that has a consistent supply all through the entire year. Fresh Fruit Alliances distributes apples and other fruit, which are procured across six continents in more than 500 cities throughout India. We supply wholesalers, retailers supermarkets, as well as on-line channels. We also provide our customers with our brand in-house, Fruitamins by using both offline and online channels. Every season, our distribution system is growing, and we expand our larger network of distributors that serve those in remote regions in the nation. We will continue to invest in technological advancements and digitalization to help make our distribution chains effective. These include online platforms along with strong relationships with retail stores and supermarkets all across the nation,” Gidwani says.
More information is available here:
Prashant Gidwani
Fresh Fruit Alliances Pvt Ltd
Email: prashant@freshfruitalliances.com
www.freshfruitalliances.com
Source: The Plantations International Agroforestry Group of Companies