India agrees to new relaxed quarantine rules for Australian fruit

India’s move to relax quarantine measures for imported Australian fruit is expected to deliver healthier returns for growers and exporters selling to the booming South Asian market.

Australia fruit exporters can now treat their fruit in-transit following India’s relaxation of quarantine measures for Australian pears, apples, stone fruit and table grapes.

INDIAN consumers will have access to more Australian fruit than ever before following the relaxation of quarantine requirements for table grapes, stone fruit, apples and pears.

In a sign of Australia’s strengthening relationship with India, the two nations have agreed to accept fruit from each other that has been treated to eradicate pests while in transit.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said the in-transit cold treatment meant fresher fruit for India and better returns for Australian growers.

“India has the world’s second largest population and its sheer scale and demand for food is projected to outpace supply,” he said.

“This is a massive market of young, health conscious and vegetarian consumers seeking high quality fresh and safe fruit and vegetables.”

The main benefit of cold treating products while in-transit is that better quality fruit arrives in its destination country, allowing the exporter to charge a premium due to its increased freshness.

Australia has pursued India’s approval for the use of in-transit cold treatment for fruit fly host commodities since 2018.

Amid a tumultuous time in global politics, Mr Littleproud described India as one of Australia’s key trading partners. Two-way agricultural trade between the two nations was valued at more than $1 billion last year.

Australian Table Grape Association chief executive Jeff Scott said the improved market access was something the industry has been calling for for more than four years.

“This is great news for our industry, it gives us another viable market to ship to. While our seasons do overlap by a couple of months, we will be supplying India with our new variety, high quality table grapes,” Mr Scott said.

Last year Australia exported to India $830,000 worth of table grapes, $352,000 apples and pears and $180,000 summer fruit.

The ameliorating trading terms with India coincides with increased access for Australian barley into the country; a timely development for Australian barely growers after China made good on its threat to impose an 80 per cent tariff on Australian barley imports this week.

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