Potential for Russian juice exports to India put at $1 mln-$1.2 mln/year - Agroexport

MOSCOW. Jan 31 (Interfax) - Russia could potentially export an estimated 1,000-1,500 tonnes of juice products worth $1 million-$1.2 million to India per year, and potential exporters have begun studying this market and possible sales channels on it, the Russian Agriculture Ministry's Agroexport Center said in a report.

Russia's main competitors on this market are China, European Union countries, Brazil, Turkey and Thailand, the report said. China exported $8.8 million worth of juice products to India in 2022, which amounted to 20.5% of the country's imports. The top three exporters by value also included the Netherlands and Israel with 13.9% and 12.8%, respectively. The top 10 suppliers together accounted for 83.1% of India's imports of juice products by value.

The strongest year-on-year growth in 2022 was seen by Thailand, the Netherlands and Belgium, which increased exports of juice products to India by, respectively, $1.2 million, $944,400 and $755,600. Israel, China and Iran, meanwhile, reduced shipments by $2.9 million, $2.8 million and $1.3 million, respectively.

Consumption of juice products in India grew by 8.5% year-on-year to a five-year high of 2.7 million tonnes in 2022.

Russia does not currently export juice products to India. However, the report cites the head of the exports committee at the Union of Juice, Water and Beverage Producers, Roman Medvedev as saying that the Indian market is attractive.

"The status of the world's most populous country, a growing number of residents and geographical proximity determine the prospects of increasing shipments of food products from Russia. For many years Russian foods had virtually no presence on the Indian market and this is a fundamental challenge. A long time will be needed to study consumers' needs, cultural and taste distinctions, adaptations and get used to them," Medvedev said.

"Russian beverage exporters are now feeling out sales channels in this country, foremost in regions where there is an interethnic connection (Goa), and then moving to the main centers of consumption, New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata," he said.