India sees rise in fruit and vegetable export value despite lower volumes

India witnessed a growth in the export value of fruits and vegetables, amounting to $1.8 billion during the financial year 2023-24, despite a decrease in volume to 3.91 million tons. The country also saw an 8% increase in floriculture exports, reaching $208 million, with a slight reduction in volume to 34,132 tons, as reported by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda).

Hyderabad International Airport played a significant role, with a 25% increase in fruit and vegetable exports in the first half of FY2024-25. "The growth in cargo volumes is attributed to the addition of new exporters and enhanced infrastructure at the GMR Aero Cargo Logistics Terminal," stated Pradeep Panicker, CEO of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA). The airport also resumed poultry exports, shipping over 800 tons of hatching eggs during this period.

Adani Airports observed a 6% rise in perishable cargo handling across Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Lucknow airports, focusing on vegetable, meat, and mango exports. Maersk reported a surge in banana exports and a positive outlook for frozen processed potato shipments, supported by a new cold storage facility at the Maasvlakte terminal in Rotterdam Port.

Cathay Cargo and Etihad Cargo experienced significant increases in perishable handling, with Cathay recording a 50% year-on-year growth and Etihad a 19% rise in perishables tonnage from India in H1FY2024-25. Both airlines are enhancing their cool chain infrastructure to meet rising demand.

Efforts towards sustainability and technology integration are evident across the sector. Hyderabad Airport employs green building practices and sustainable packaging materials. Similarly, Adani Airports and Cathay Cargo have taken steps to minimize their environmental footprint, while Etihad Cargo focuses on using recyclable materials and route optimization. Advanced monitoring systems and IoT devices are improving the efficiency and reliability of perishable logistics, highlighting India's evolving role in the global market.