Chile aims to double kiwifruit export to India in next 5 years

Chennai: Setting sights on the South Indian market, Latin American country Chile Monday launched a promotional campaign here to create awareness on consumption of its kiwifruit and health benefits associated with it.

The industry's plan is to double the quantity of kiwifruits Chile exported to India in 2018 in the next five years, according to Chilean Fruit Exporters Association (ASOEX) director of marketing for Europe, Asia and Middle East Charif Christian Carvajal. "We see there is a good potential in India and we are receiving good support from importers, retailers and distributors to really start motivating consumption of Kiwi fruit," he told PTI. The fruit is said to be rich in vitamin C, dietary fibre, folate, potassium and actinidin.

"We are focussing on major urban centres and in the future, we have to start promoting in regional cities across in India," he added. A joint initiative of Embassy of Chile, the Chilean kiwifruit industry and the country's commercial trade office ProChile, the campaign was for the first time launched in New Delhi last year. Carvajal said the industry wants to double the quantity of kiwifruits it exported to India in 2018 (9,604 tons), in the next five years.

Overall kiwi fruit imports in India grew by 38 per cent from 29,941 tons to 41,375 tons, according to him. Chile exported 68,300 tons of fresh fruits to India, positioning it as one of top five markets in Asia for Chilean fresh fruit exports, he said. Around 82 per cent of fruit exports from Chile to India are apples and kiwi accounts for 15 per cent. Table grapes, pears, plums, cherries and blueberries are other fresh fruits the country exports to India.