The Hindu : Business : Campaign to expand market share of Washington apples

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005

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Campaign to expand market share of Washington apples

By Our Staff Correspondent

The Deputy Export Director, Washington Apple Commission, Rebecca Baerveldt, and the India Representative, Sumit Saran, at a press conference in Chennai on Monday. — Photo: Bijoy Ghosh

CHENNAI, APRIL 11. Indian consumers can now get apples throughout the year, with the import of apples from various countries, such as the Washington, Australia, China, South Africa, and New Zealand, according to Sumit Saran, India Representative, Washington Apple Commission.

Mr. Saran said nearly five lakh boxes, about 18 kg each, were imported into India annually. This was a five-fold growth in the last two years. This year so far nearly a half million boxes (20 kg each) of these apples had been imported into India. Imported apples had gained popularity in Indian markets, both metropolises and smaller towns.

The Washington Apple Commission, a U.S.-based agency that promotes apple exports from the orchards of Washington State, had been creating awareness about Washington apple in bigger and smaller towns of India. Washington apple accounts for about 30 per cent of the apples imported into India.

Today, Tamil Nadu, mostly Chennai, was among the largest importers and more than 70 per cent of the fruits were sold in the smaller cities and towns, said Mr. Saran.

The retailers in India were willing to set up cold storage facilities to protect the quality of the apple. Recognising the immense potential for having healthy food items, the U.S. agency was actively promoting consumption of Washington apples in India, said Rebecca J. Baerveldt, Deputy Export Director, Washington Apple Commission.

About the Indian market, Ms. Baerveldt said there were 7,500 varieties of apple grown around the world today. Among these the best were planted in the commercial orchards of Washington State. Washington apples are grown in more than 1.75 lakh acres of orchards of Washington by nearly 2000 farmers.

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