Alicante Farmers Granted Permission to Export Oranges to India

Alicante farmers can now export oranges to India, the world's third-largest citrus producer. The Indian government has approved in-transit cold treatment, making it feasible to ship these fruits to the country, as published in the Gazette of India, following notification to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

This information comes from the Citrus Management Committee (CGC), which explains that from now on, "all operators in our country can now carry out the mandatory in-transit cold treatment during the journey to Indian ports, rather than pre-shipment, before departure."

The CGC conducted a pilot test with 243 tonnes of oranges, activating the cold treatment during the journey, which proved effective against the Mediterranean fruit fly. The committee's president, Inmaculada Sanfeliu, emphasizes that the current challenge is "to carve out a niche in such a promising yet distant and complex destination as India, the most populous country."

India is a market with significant potential for Alicante citrus producers, having recorded over 16 million tonnes in the 23/24 season, second only to China and Brazil. With 1.441 billion inhabitants, its entire harvest caters to its domestic market, with only a small portion sold to nearby countries. However, the CGC assures that in recent years, domestic demand for oranges has surged.

This policy change by India will make orange exports viable. Previously, authorities required pre-shipment cold treatment, 10 to 12 days in advance. The fruit had to endure another 30 days in cold storage during the journey, which affected the oranges and was "very expensive" logistically. Consequently, exports to this country ceased in 2024.

"India now aligns with the protocols applied by major citrus powers - such as the USA, China, Australia, or Korea - and Spain can begin to work in one of the markets with the greatest consumption tradition and projection," notes the citrus association's spokesperson.

The technical opening of the Indian market to Spain coincided with an announcement made during a visit to New Delhi last Friday by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. After a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Von der Leyen confirmed that Brussels aims to promote and finalize a free trade agreement with what is now the world's fifth-largest economy by the end of this year.