Talks are nearing completion that would allow India to send grapes to both New Zealand and Canada - possibly as soon as next year.
The Times of India has reported officials from the two countries had been in India to conduct necessary inspections.
'Talks with New Zealand and Canada are in the final stages,'Grape Exporters Association of India president Jagannath Khapare told the newspaper.'The officials from these two countries have already made a visit here to conduct necessary inspections and the two markets are expected to be open for import in the next grape season in 2013.'
“New Zealand has the potential to import around 500 containers, while Canada may likely import 1,000 containers from India,' he added.
The Agriculture & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has been working to develop new markets, such as New Zealand and Canada, to lessen the country’s dependency on Europe after countries there decreased imports over residue level concerns in 2010.
'With an aim to end dependency on the European market, we had urged APEDA to explore alternate territories for export and had suggested overseas markets like South Africa, USA, Canada and New Zealand. These alternative regions, will not only help in increasing export but will lessen our dependency on specific markets should another situation like what happened in 2010 happen again,' Khapre said.
