Indian Fruit and Vegetable Exports to the Persian Gulf on the Increase.

The Gulf countries have increased their demand for Indian fruit and vegetables in recent years. Since 2007, Indian exports of fruit and vegetables to Iran, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have grown 61.8%, the top two destinations being the UAE and Saudi Arabia, according to data from the Indian Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).

The number of tonnes of fruit and vegetables shipped from India to the UAE has nearly doubled in recent years. In 2009-2010 the UAE imported 162,253 tonnes, 46% up on 2007-2008, according to APEDA figures. Saudi Arabia, the second most important destination in the Persian Gulf for Indian fruit and vegetables, increased its imports by 61%, from 24,233 tonnes in 2007-2008 to 39,004 tonnes in 2009-2010.

In 2009-2010, India exported 18,593 tonnes of fruit and vegetables to Kuwait, 93.7% more than the 9,565 tonnes exported in 2007-2009. As for Bahrain, F&V imports from India climbed from 7,088 tonnes in 2007-2008 to 16,024 tonnes in 2009-2010, an increase of 133%.

Exports to Qatar totalled 16,024 tonnes in 2009-2010, 106% more than the 7,782 tonnes exported in 2007-2008. F&V imports into Iran have shown a dramatic increase: in 2007-2008, 975 tonnes were imported, but by 2009-2010 this figure had risen by no less than 454.7% to 5,409 tonnes.

APEDA also reports that Indian exports to Oman increased 146%, from 3,046 tonnes in 2007-2008 to 7,516 tonnes in 2009-2010. Finally, Iraq is the only Gulf country to have witnessed a decline in its fruit and vegetable imports from India. It only imported 85 tonnes in 2009-2010, 3% less than in 2007-2008.

Source : freshplaza.com