Direct grape imports from India

For a while now, Don-Limon has imported grapes from India, yet in 2015, for the first time, the company receives its own Don-Limon branded Indian grapes in Germany. Debjit Ghosh, the Don-Limon export manager for India, Middle East and from Far East, is Indian-born and has been responsible for the creation of this branded programme. The commitment of a manager born in India to do business with India has proved to be key to the success of this new effort. “Don-Limon has strong footings in the market with a great reputation, while in India producers have a good heart and positive expectations to extend this opportunity in the European Market. As an Indian, my understanding about the feelings and needs of the Indian producer, has played a pivotal role in developing the collaboration with Indian Grape producers,” says Debjit.

So far the European market has responded well to Thompson Seedless as there is a small window between South African and Egypt. The season for Indian Grapes normally starts from November and then ends mostly end of March beginning of April, depending on the arrival of winter and other weather conditions. Thompson Seedless normally starts at the mid or end of January and lasts till end of March, beginning of April.

The grapes have been strong in demand, particularly in Germany, Holland, Poland and in Sweden. Outside the European Union, Russia is a really good market for Indian Grapes. At this moment Don-Limon is shipping Indian Grapes directly to Russia with regular interval. Indian grapes are normally packed either in 4,5 Kg loose, 9 x 500 grams per carton or in punnets for the super markets 10 x 500 grams and 5 kgs per carton. They are packed in well designed, Don-Limon boxes.

The State of Maharashtra is the main area for Indian Grape production, where fluctuations in weather condition and temporary heavy rainfall are the main challenges of Indian Grapes. The Indian Thompson Seedless grape producers involved have Global Gap certificates, while laboratory analysis is supervised by the Indian Government by means of its laboratory and spraying list. This creates the needed trust to build new partnerships Europe. On top of that, the standard screening for residues of pesticides (LCMS/MS and GCMS) upon arrival further secures the safety of the fruit.

The situation was bad in 2010 when Indian Grapes were banned as there were residues of unregistered pesticides in it. The problem lay not as much in the level of residue as in the fact that the particular agent wasn’t registered and approved by the EU. Since then the India and German governments have worked together and registered and approved the product so that European sales could be retaken from 2012. Since then Indian grapes have regained a really good position of trust.

For more information:
Andreas Schindler
Pilz Schindler GmbH
Tel: +49 (0)40 - 3095499-45
Mob: +49 (0)171 8583 211
www.don-limon.de or www.pilz-schindler.de