Fresh Indian Fruits – Nutritious, Delicious & Rich in Flavor

1. Indian Fruits India is known as an agricultural powerhouse due to its geographical diversity and climate which helps it to grow variety of fruits. India is the second-largest producer of fruits comprising of a wide variety, including mangoes, bananas, papayas, oranges, and grapes. Fruits have been an important part of Indian agriculture sector for thousands of years, having records in ancient texts. Due to their immense nutritional and vitamin rich content, they hold a key place in medicinal sector since ages. Additionally, they also hold a vital significance in Indian rituals, and daily Indian cuisine. As reported by the National Horticulture Database, the country produced 112.62 million metric tonnes of fruits on 7.04 million hectares area in FY24. India has emerged as a major contributor to global fruit production, accounting for 25.6% of bananas, 44.5% of mangoes (including guavas and mangosteens), and 38.6% of papayas. Indian fruits play a vital role among the health-conscious consumers all over the globe with a growing global focus on natural organic foods. Health benefits of fruits Indian fruits are mouth-watering, and rich in essential nutrition. •Mangoes:With the vitamin content, mangoes provide benefits for the healthy skin. It also enhances your immunity system. It has got an enzyme that calms the stomach during summer. •Bananas:Bananas are known to be rich in potassium which msssakes them good for heart and muscle. Being also rich in vitamin B6 and dietary fibres, it act as a quick energy source and often found to be the part of diet plans. •Pomegranates:Pomegranates contain antioxidants and vitamins C as well as K. This means that consumption of pomegranates, can reduce cholesterol level and blood pressure. Also, it improves memory due to anti-inflammatory components. •Guavas:Guavas are popular for their dietary fibre, low calories, and antioxidants as they help with digestion, weight reduction and blood pressure-related issues. It is also known for boosting vision. •Apples: It has been considered a necessary fruit item in daily meals by Indians. They are good for heart health, digestion, weight reduction, healthy skin, and other health issues as well. Antioxidants and fibre contents also tend to boost the immunity system. Moreover, it is believed that the anti-inflammatory properties in the fruit will benefit and reduce the risk of having some chronic diseases in future. •Papaya: Papaya contains vitamins A, C, and E. As it contains a digestion enzyme called papain, so the cure is almost perfect for digestive diseases, healthy skin, robust immunity, and many more.

2. •Wood Apple: Wood Apple is known as bael fruit. This fruit has inherent laxatives which contribute to raising overall well-being of liver functions, digestion relieved constipation and general gut health. •Jackfruit:Antioxidants found in jackfruits reduce inflammation and lower chronic disease chances. The fruit is well endowed with vitamins C, A, and B, while providing dietary fibres that strengthen immunity and the heart while aiding digestion. Famous fruit capitals in India India is well known for its diversity in cultures, languages, and cultivations as well. Similarly, certain areas are famous for specific fruits. Although these days all fruits available across all states. The following are some examples: •Nagpur Oranges – Maharashtra: Orange is a famous fruit grown in India. Major orange producing states include Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu. But oranges from Nagpur are more famous as they are highly nutritious, and rich in vitamins. Besides being consumed, it is also known for its role in various consumer markets as the main source of citric acid, cosmetics, peel oil, etc. •Allahabad Surkha Guava – Uttar Pradesh: Allahabadi Surkha, is an easily recognisable species of guava. It has apple-red exterior skin and has deep pink flesh from inside instead of typical white colour. This fruit is noted for its nutritional values, flavour, texture, and juiciness. •Tezpur litchi –Assam: Tezpur litchis of Assam are in great demand for their bigger size, proper shape, and juicy taste. Litchis contain 60% of juice that are very hydrating to consume in summer season. •Alphonso Mangoes - Ratnagiri, Maharashtra: Many varieties of mangoes are grown across different parts of India such as Kesar from Gujarat, Dasheri from Uttar Pradesh, and Badami and Totapuri from Karnataka. One of the mango variants that tops the list worldwide is the Alphonso growing out of Ratnagiri from Maharashtra. Alphonso's are known to be high in nutrients and taste that soar the demand worldwide. Trade statistics In FY24, fruits contributed Rs. 8,178.22 crore (US$ 966.5 million) to India’s total exports. Additionally, processed fruits, vegetables, and pulses exports were valued at Rs. 20,623.70 crore (US$ 2.43 billion). Out of the number of fruits exports, mangoes, grapes, pomegranates, bananas, and oranges are the major fresh fruits exported.

3. Export quantity of Fresh Fruits (mn. tonnes) 8,87,425 7,61,031 6,74,292 6,09,613 4,96,578 4,33,226 3,94,315 3,72,214 3,21,158 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25* Source: APEDA * April-September 2024 India’s export of fresh fruits has been growing steadily, both in terms of quantity and value. It has increased from 394,315.39 MT in 2016–17, valued at Rs. 1,629.64 crore (US$ 243.68 million), to 887,424.87 MT, valued at Rs. 3,759 crore (US$ 444.2 million) in 2023–24. Production hubs of major fruits Mangoes Maharashtra Uttar Pradesh Andhra Pradesh Bananas Tamil Nadu Maharashtra Gujarat Grapes Maharashtra Karnataka Tamil Nadu Pomegranates Maharashtra Gujarat Karnataka Export destinations Indian fruits are exported to over 150 countries. Key destinations include: The United States The United Arab Emirates The United Kingdom Southeast Asian nations Source: APEDA In FY24, India exported a variety of fruits worth over Rs. 8,178.22 crore (US$ 966.5 million) with grapes and mangoes being the top contributors.

4. Government initiatives: The Indian government has implemented various schemes to boost horticulture and exports: •Aiming landscape, AIF provides medium to long-term debt financing for post-harvest management and community farming assets. to transform the agricultural infrastructure Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) •The goal is to bridge resource gaps in agriculture and allied sectors by providing financial assistance to states for various activities aimed at boosting overall growth and farmers' income. Rastriya KrishiVikas Yojana •Soil health cards provide farmers with information about the nutrient status of their soil and recommendations on appropriate nutrient dosages to improve soil health and fertility. Soil Health Card (SHC) •This yojana of Industries (MoFPI) has sanctioned 32 projects. The projects are spread across almost 17 states, leveraging an investment worth Rs. 406 crore (US$ 48 million). These projects envisage the creation of direct and indirect employment, especially in rural areas. the Ministry of Food Processing Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) •The scheme aims to modernise infrastructure for agro- processing clusters, which helps reduce post-harvest losses, increase the shelf life of agricultural products, and enhance the export competitiveness of Indian agri- products. Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters (SAMPADA) Other initiatives include cluster development programmes for high-potential fruits like mangoes and bananas, as well as the Market Access Initiative (MAI) for which facilitates exports. Outlook With collaborative efforts from the public and private sectors, India can enhance its position as a leading exporter of fruits, benefitting millions of farmers and meeting the increasing global demand for high-quality produce. As per Statista, the revenue generated by the fresh fruits segment amounted to Rs. 9,80,746 crore (US$ 115.90 billion) in FY24 and is set to record a CAGR of 7.58% over the period 2024–29. With growing domestic and international demand for healthy foods, India's fruit industry is poised for significant expansion. Strengthening infrastructure, adopting advanced technologies, and ensuring stringent quality standards will be crucial to boost competitiveness in global markets.