The European Fresh Produce Association represented the industry at an Indian food fair recently in a bid to increase export opportunities in the South Asian country, considered a key market for fresh produce from member states.
Freshfel executives attended the Annapoorna World of Food India in Mumbai last week, to reflect the increasing trend of India as “a promising and growing export destination.”
European associations and companies were invited to the event to present their products and this was the first time Freshfel was present at the fair.
Freshfel says the main EU supplier to India is currently Italy, delivering 50% of European fruit and vegetable supplies. Belgium, Greece, Spain, Poland and France have also started to trade directly with India.
The most popular fruit is apple, followed by kiwifruit and stone fruit.
“The fair is a great possibility to present the high quality and broad range of European fruit and vegetables to a growing Indian export market,” says Freshfel general delegate, Philippe Binard.
The organisation adds that because of the “enormous market growth potential” of India with its rising middle class and general population increase over the last decade, EU-28 exports to the country have gone up from approximately 1,000 tonnes in 2006 to 41,000 tonnes in 2016.
The European Delegation to India, based in Delhi, invited European producer organisations, associations and companies to be part of the fair’s European Pavilion so they could have direct contact with Indian customers, learn about Indian distribution structures and get to know the challenges of the market environment.
Freshfel also took part in several workshops to better understand the structures of Indian supply chains and retail markets.
Around 210 exhibitors from the food and drinks industry took part in the twelfth edition of the event which is organised by Koelnmesse YA Tradefair Pvt Ltd and the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
