Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Tuesday, Dec 27, 2005
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Tuesday, Dec 27, 2005 |
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Agri-Biz & Commodities
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Horticulture/Fruits & Vegetables Industry & Economy - Exports & Imports Prospects for bulk pineapple exports brighten — Pilot consignment of 5 tonnes sets sail for Dubai Vipin V. Nair
Kochi , Dec. 26 THE prospects of large-scale pineapple exports from the country look ripe as technical procedures for shipping the fruit by sea are ready. The pre-harvest and post-harvest protocols for shipping pineapple by sea have been completed with a pilot consignment of five tonnes setting sail for Dubai on December 24, said Mr Sasikumar, Managing Director of Nadukkara Agro Processing Company Ltd (NAPC). The protocol is being developed by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), Kerala Agri Export Zone of the State Agriculture Department and NAPC, which makes the pineapple-based packaged drink, Jive. NAPC is 70 per cent owned by pineapple farmers. CIRAD, a French agricultural research centre has collaborated in the research process to define the protocol. The project began two years ago, Mr Sasikumar said. After the pilot consignment is tested in Dubai later this week for any internal browning or other damages of the fruit, the protocol will be finalised for adoption, paving the way for bulk quantities of exports by sea. So far pineapple is being exported from India in small quantities by air, to countries in West Asia. The high cost of air cargo, which costs about Rs 50 a kg has not helped the exports grow though India produces over a million tonnes of pineapple a year from over 75,000 hectares. Mr Sasikumar said the attempt was to bring down the transportation cost to Rs 18 a kg when shipped by sea. "This will offer a huge market for Indian pineapple in West Asia and Europe," he said. Currently, African countries such as Ghana cater to the global pineapple market. As compared with the local price of Rs 4.50 to Rs 5 a kg that the farmer currently gets, a pineapple fetches 26-28 dirhams (Rs 318-344) for six kg in Dubai, Mr Sasikumar said. The sensitive nature of pineapple warrants that it should be properly harvested and handled for exports by the time-consuming sea route. Hence, the need to develop a protocol for exports by sea. "Right from cultivation, you need to follow a set of standards. Care should be given even in putting manure because the internal cell structure of the fruit will depend on this," he said. After harvesting, the fruit needs to be carefully handled to avoid any damage and be stored in a cool climate. The protocols for these processes would be imparted to farmers. Already 30 farmers have been selected for this. An integrated packing house will be set up at the NAPC factory at Nadukkara, around 50 km from here for storing and packing pineapple for exports. APEDA has given its in-principle agreement to fund the Rs 3.90-crore packing house, which is expected to come up in a year's time.
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