Freshfel Europe – The European Fresh Produce Association – is representing the European fruit and vegetable industry at the European Pavilion at the Indian food fair “Annapoorna World of Food India” this week from the 14th to the 16th September 2017 in Mumbai, India. The European Delegation to India, based in Delhi, invited European associations and companies to present their products to the Indian audience during the fair to reflect the increasing trend of India as a promising and growing export destination for the European fruit and vegetable industry.
Freshfel’s presence at the fair, a first for the association, is part of its reinforced effort to promote European fresh produce in key markets. Commenting on Freshfel’s participation at the fair, Freshfel General Delegate Philippe Binard affirmed that “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!”. With an enormous market growth potential due to its growing population and middle class, over the past ten years EU-28 exports to India have increased from roughly 1.000 T in 2006 to 41.000 T in 2016 with a market value of € 35 mio. The main supplier to India is currently Italy, delivering 50% of European fruit and vegetable supplies to India. However Belgium, Greece, Spain, Poland and France have also started to trade directly with India, where the most popular commodity is currently apple, followed by kiwi and stone fruit.
The European Delegation in Delhi has strongly supported European exporters to gain access to the Indian market in recent years, where the market environment is often challenging. Annapoorna World of Food India is the most important international sourcing fair for the food and beverage trade, catering and retail markets in India and its neighbouring countries. The Delegation invited European producer organizations, associations and companies to be part of the fair’s European Pavilion in order to have direct contact with Indian customers and learn about Indian distribution structures.
Welcoming the invitation, Freshfel will introduce the structures of the European fruit and vegetable industry as well as its broad membership to Indian retailers and buyers during the fair. Freshfel will also participate in several workshops to better understand the structures of Indian supply chains and retail markets.
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Note to the Editors:
Freshfel Europe is the European Fresh Produce Association, representing the interests of the fresh fruit and vegetables supply chain in Europe and beyond. Freshfel Europe currently has over 200 members, including both companies and associations. For more information, contact the association at info@freshfel.org or visit the association website www.freshfel.org.