Indian pomegranates will soon appear on Australian supermarket shelves for the first time.
According to Australia’s High Commissioner to India Barry O’Farrell AO, India is well placed to satisfy Australia’s growing demand for pomegranates, which is fuelled by their use in restaurants and in cooking shows.
Celebrated for centuries for their clusters of ruby red arils, pomegranates are a superfood packed full of vitamins, nutrients and anti-oxidants. Australia has a smaller pomegranate industry which produces varieties like ‘Wonderful’, ‘Jennings’, and ‘Griffith’ that are not commercially grown in India.
“While Australia already produces pomegranates, India is well placed as one of the world’s largest pomegranate producers to meet shortfalls in the Australian market,” O’Farrell said.
In 2018–19, Australia imported approximately $45 million in fruits and vegetables from India.
As part of the two-way trade between the countries, consumers in India can now enjoy Australian walnuts, almonds, and beer made from Australian malting barley while Australia can savour Indian mangoes, grapes, and now pomegranates.
“There are many other examples, which provides consumers in Australia and India with greater choice along with trade benefits for our economies, and the livelihoods of our farmers,” he sid.
The imports would be subject to Australian importers meeting biosecurity conditions. Indian exporters have been asked to work with their customers and Indian export authorities to ensure Australia’s importing country requirements are met.
