Gone are the days when ingredients like parsley, red cabbage, broccoli, cherry tomato had to be imported by hotels and restaurants in India. Hoteliers and F&B managers are happy that these exotic produce can be now easily sourced from local farmers By Saloni Bhatia
India is a vast country blessed with a varied agro-climate, which is favourable for growing large number of crops. Our country has large varieties of fruits in its basket and account for ten per cent of the world’s total fruit production. Fruits like mango, banana, citrus, pineapple, papaya, guava, chickoo, jackfruit, grapes among other tropical and sub-tropical fruits are grown here. Same goes for vegetables, as more than 40 kinds of vegetables belonging to different groups are grown in the country.
The local shift
Increased awareness about the nutritional value of these fruits and vegetables has given rise to the demand in the country. The last ten years have seen more farmers take up production of these crops and have generated a good source of revenue from the growth. Fruits such as mangosteen and rambutan which were majorly imported from Thailand and Malaysia are now grown locally along the western coast of the country. Exotic vegetables such as cherry tomato, lettuce and broccoli have also been taken up by farmers in Maharashtra. These farmers are in direct contact with hoteliers and cafes who source these products from them. Kushlibhushan Muridhar Gunjal, who is a local farmer from the Pune region has been growing exotic fruits and vegetables since the past 18 years. He stated, “We got the idea for cultivating Chinese vegetables. We did a bit of research on the demand for products and what we could grow here considering the weather conditions. It took us about one and half years to learn how to yield a good produce and we also got in touch with restaurants in Mumbai and Pune. We have grown exotic vegetables like parsley, red cabbage, broccoli, leek, cherry tomato, etc and have earned sustainable income from selling to the nearby restaurants. We recently started supplying our products to Goa as well.” Talking about meeting the demand he added, “We were in regular touch with the owners of the restaurants to know what to produce. However this year due to the temperature touching almost 43 degrees, it is becoming difficult to get the desired output. The temperature needed to grow such vegetables is not beyond 34 degrees.”
Create a market
exotic.”
Bigbasket.com has over 10 per cent sales constituting from exotic fruits including apples. Mittal added, “We currently source exotics through importers. We shall soon start direct imports as well. Some exotics can be locally sourced. They are naturally cheaper and hence enhance their growth in the market faster. However there is enough room for all players – domestic as well as imported. There is a huge opportunity for growth in the market, as well as create new opportunities which are now nonexistent. Apple Washington Commission (promotes Washington Apples around the world) and Zespri (promotes kiwi fruit) are case studies which clearly prove how to create market for exotics in India.”
The challenges
Despite the demand for these product by caterers, local restaurants and hotels, Indian farmers are not fully equipped with the resources to have the desired output. However, growing fruits is economically beneficial for the farmer as the cost of production is comparatively low. Not many trees require pesticides and can start bearing fruit from the third year itself. Vegetable production also requires certain climate and soil quality for good production.
Mittal added, “Sales for exotic products generally needs to be developed over time. The key challenge is in educating the consumers on their usage and benefits. Hence star hotels usually become the first customers. Also price is often a barrier for wider dissemination of the product. Not only is the demand for exotic fruits and vegetables growing, but the customer is now ready for more. The growth of kiwi fruit, for example, has been exponential. More vegetables are getting added to the list and now enterprising farmers are trying to grow them locally e.g. lettuces.”
With the growing knowledge of international cuisines and raised awareness about nutritional diets there is more demand for these exotic fruits and vegetables. While it is difficult to replicate the products imported from international markets, it is best to source them locally and cut on import costs. The market is bound to grow as more farmers have taken up the production of these crops. However there needs to be better facilities for farmers and favourable weather conditions in order to increase production.
