Fruit imports in India have become more expensive causing fruit sales to drop, according to traders.

The price of imported apples, oranges and kiwifruit is up 20-30 per cent this month compared to last, due to high export prices and the weakening rupee, they report.

As a result, the number of fruit containers arriving into Chennai port each week has fallen from 30 last month to barely a few a week, sources said.

“Because of high prices demanded by exporters and the depreciation of Indian rupee, imported apples have become prohibitively expensive,” A Srinivasa Ramanujam, business head at Ahmedabad-based fruit supplier Adani Agrifresh, told Fruitnet.

High prices have limited US, Chilean and Chinese apple import volumes this season, he said. New Zealand apple volumes are also expected to fall this year compared to last because of their elevated price tag.

“In terms of volume, we see a significant reduction in imported apple volumes this year,” Ramanujam said.

A cross-border influx of cheap Iranian apples has put significant pressure on the domestic and imported apple market, he added.

“Overall it is a very tough and trying year for most Indian apple importers,” he said.

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