India currently remains well-stocked with imported kiwis from a range of sources, particularly Iranian Hayward kiwis, but the market is currently experiencing a slowdown in retail demand says Manjit Singh of India-based Persia Fruits brand owned by Kanwal Global Exports: "Supply is strong, but prices and consumer pickup are slow, so at the moment, importing new fruit from Iran just isn't adding up. It's very difficult to recover costs with higher landed prices this season," he notes.
According to Singh, "Both Iranian and other origin kiwis can be sourced right now, but market demand is softer than expected. Sales in winter tend to be slow, with only the Indian wedding season providing a small boost in sales. We usually see recovery in January."
© Kanwal Global Exports
An unexpected drop in Iranian kiwi prices by 15% from last year's levels has caught the Indian importers off guard, Singh shares. "Despite this season's bumper yields and quality holding steady, the Indian market has not been able to absorb the high volumes at sustainable prices." However, he predicts that the prices seen now will gradually start rising. "Iranian kiwi prices at origin have already gone up compared to a month ago, and we expect domestic prices to strengthen as well."
Singh also highlights back-end challenges with importing fresh produce from Iran. "Payment remittance is still the main issue. With Iran under sanctions, banking channels are limited, and every transaction takes more time and effort. In addition, stricter documentation like India's new mandate of QR code compliance for Iranian fruit is pushing up costs and complexity even further," he explains.
© Kanwal Global Exports
Despite the season's setbacks, Singh continues to see opportunities for Iranian fruit. "Customers still appreciate the size and taste profile of Iranian kiwis, and as other supplies start to dwindle. Price continues to play a big role, and Iranian kiwis lead the market simply because they're affordable for most consumers."
"In the coming weeks, we expect the wedding season to maintain momentum nationwide, with Iranian kiwis continuing to be the most widely available origin across Indian wholesale and retail channels," Singh concludes.
For more information:
Manjit Singh
Kanwal Global Exports
Email: [email protected]
www.persia-fruits.com
