India is finally able to export pomegranate arils to the United States again, says Kaushal Khakhar, CEO of Indian fresh produce exporter Kay Bee Exports: “The restriction on export of pomegranate arils from India to the USA was declared in October 2018. Now, we have re-acquired market access after a gap of almost four years. This has been possible with the tireless efforts put in by India’s NPPO (National Plant Protection Organisation) as well as APEDA, the export promotion council in charge of fresh products.”
The pomegranate aril traders from India have their work cut out for them, as it’ll be challenging to regain the market share these arils once had in the United States, Khakhar explains. “The USA have their own domestic production as well as import from other. However, only India can offer a year-round supply with consistent supply in terms of volume, quality and appearance. The Bhagwa variety of pomegranates is renowned for its soft and sweet arils apart from its deep red coloration. To achieve this requires the implementation of good agronomy practices along with a high level of farmers’ integration. Two aspects that Kay Bee Exports has good expertise in.
“Once a certain origin has been out of supply for several years, as it is the case here, it is challenging for this source of supply to gain back its market share rapidly. We are counting on the superiority of our pomegranates with their taste and quality to help us regain the market share. In regards to Indian pomegranates, the USA remains an emerging market when compared with the European market, where arils from India are already largely available and their benefits are well recognised. We expect to gradually acquire market share in the USA as the per capita consumption of arils is higher there than in the other developed markets,” Khakhar says.
Overall, India has all that it requires to send pomegranate arils all over the world, including long distance destinations, Khakhar states: “Several cities in the USA are well connected to the main Indian’s airports thanks to European and Middle Eastern carriers. Moreover, Kay Bee Exports has an in-house IATA accredited freight-forwarding division. This is a significant and unique advantage which allows us not only to get more flexibility and economical flight solutions from the airlines but also a perfect understanding of the cold chain requirements of a product like the arils. Indeed, the temperature during transit is of the utmost importance to guarantee our customers to receive a product with the highest level of freshness and an uncompromised shelf-life.”
As their pomegranate arils have all the certifications that the US market requires, Khakhar has good hopes for the current season: “Indian pomegranate arils will be banking on its quality for regaining market presence in USA. We are hopeful that in the times to come, we will be able to make our presence felt within this niche category. In order to provide the best quality of arils to its customers, we have integrated our production and source pomegranates from our own orchards. These are not only Global GAP certified but are also accredited to social and ethical standards. Moreover, the arils are extracted in a high-care unit which is BRC Grade AA+ approved. This is the highest grade possible to assess the level of food safety and good manufacturing processes in place,” he concludes.
For more information:
Kay Bee Exports
Tel: +91 8879 000 973
Email: Export@kaybeeexports.com
www.kaybeeexports.com