APEDA facilitates first sea freight of pomegranates to US

Agricultural Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) on Wednesday flagged off the first commercial trial shipment of pomegranates to the US via sea.

The shipment of pomegranates, comprising 4,200 boxes (12.6 tonnes), was made out of pomegranates from Ini Farms stored at the IFC facility of Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB) in Vashi, Navi Mumbai.

APEDA, in association with Solapur-based ICAR-NRC Pomegranate as technical partner, had earlier dispatched an air shipment of irradiated pomegranates kept under controlled atmosphere.

The trial air shipment, static sea trial and the sea container were executed by APEDA registered InI Farms - a top exporter of fruits and vegetables.

The consignment by sea that follows the successful static trial opens the prospects of finding new markets for Indian pomegranates.

The pomegranates were sourced from Anarnet registered farmers from Sangola in Maharashtra, at a premium of 20 per cent compared to other export markets and 35 per cent compared to domestic market.

India is one of the largest producers of pomegranates in the world and APEDA is aiming to make the country one of the top exporters of pomegranates. Indian pomegranates already have a growing market in the EU, Middle East and neighbouring countries.

India produces some of the best varieties of Pomegranate and the Bhagwa variety is considered amongst the best in the world. India also has the advantage of availability of pomegranates through-out the year.

Major pomegranate producing states include Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh with Maharashtra having a share of more than 50 per cent of the country’s total production.

APEDA facilitated export of pomegranates worth $58.36 million in 2022-23 to markets in the United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Nepal, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bahrain, and Oman.