This was a follow up discussion on the programme launched by the Consulate in September 2020 to promote & diversify Sri Lanka’s Agri products to the Indian Market in line with the Government’s Export Economic Policy.
Twenty (20) online B2B meetings took place between 5 leading fruit & vegetable exporters from Sri Lanka namely, CR Exports Pvt. Ltd.; Development Interplan Ceylon Pvt. Ltd, Forbes & Walker Fine Foods Pvt. Ltd, HJS Condiments Pvt. Ltd., JAGRO Pvt. Ltd and 3 high end supermarket chains in India, Nature’s Basket, More Retail, Star Bazzar & East West Agro, Mumbai based fresh fruits importer.
The supermarket chains represented at the meetings are high-end consumer product outlets with a reach all over India. Nature’s Basket which is owned by reputed conglomerate RPSG Group, has over 36 neighbourhood convenience stores in Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore with a diverse product portfolio. Star Market, a joint venture by Tata & Tesco companies are present across 48 stores in Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Kolhapur and Hyderabad. More Reatil which is the fourth largest supermarket chain in India is owned by Amazon and Samara Capital Pvt. Ltd. More Retail offers two types of stores, hypermarts and supermarkets. The company has 22 hypermarts spreading across New Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Thane and operates 651 supermarkets all over India. East West Agro is a Mumbai based fresh fruit importer which has been engaged in agro product trade for more than a decade.
Both Indian and Sri Lankan participants appreciated the joint effort especially, during the prevailing covid situation to stimulate more business taking place between the two neighboring countries. Given the close proximity and the unique duty concessions offered to Sri Lanka for agri products under Indo-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA), Sri Lanka is well positioned to utilize this untapped export potential. In addition to avocado & passion fruit, the Sri Lankan companies have received inquiries on the possibility of exporting other products such as mangoes (during off season in India), rambutan, soursop, etc. from Sri Lanka.
India imports avocado from Latin America & Europe and passion fruits are imported from South Africa as the local supply of avocado and passion fruits in India are not sufficient to fulfill the local demand.
