A variety of exotic fruits are on display and for sale at the Kitchen and Fruits Expo which has been under way at the Jubilee Hall in Kozhikode, India, since Wednesday 17 February. The demand for imported fruit in India is rising amidst concerns for food safety.
The expo features a variety of imported fruits such as ramputan from Malaysia, dragon fruit from Vietnam, kiwis from New Zealand, grapefruits from Egypt, blueberries and red berries from Holland, longon from Thailand, Shandong pear from China, plums and apples from the USA and a whole range of native fruit items.
The concern over food safety among the local people is behind the sudden increase in the demand for imported fruits. “While many fruits we get here are pesticide ridden and chemically ripened, we export only the best to other countries and the process involves rigorous quality checks. The same applies for imported fruits and this gives the buyer confidence that they are safer than the locally available fruits,” said Nawaz.P of PKC Fruits, the organisers of the expo.
The reduction in prices of imported fruits over the years has also contributed to the demand. “Earlier, the fruits were brought on flights and hence cost more. Now they are brought via ships, cutting down the cost to one-fourth,” Mr. Nawaz said, adding that apples from the U.S. and China are the most in demand among the imported fruits.
