Sweet pears from South Africa have replaced pears from around the world with their superior quality and consistent supply, according to a major fruit importer in India.
Shubha Rawal, head of sourcing at IG International, made the revelation at the IFPA Southern Africa conference, highlighting the unparalleled success of South African fruit.
“In the last five years, what we’ve seen with South African apples, pears, citrus, it has been amazing,” Rawal said.
“Especially pears, the Forelles and Vermonts; they have just been booming. We’re really short on this fruit. We just need more and more. South African pears have replaced all the pears coming to India from around the world.”
Resilience to price inflation
While other regions struggle to keep pace with price inflation, South African pears have not only withstood the challenges but thrived in the booming Indian economy.
According to Rawal, post-Covid health consciousness has transformed India’s eating habits, with fresh, nutritious produce like citrus, avocados, and now pears gaining prominence.
“There’s nothing [coming] from the US, nothing from Europe,” she added. “There is a 52-week supply of pears coming from South Africa, and I’d like to congratulate the growers on making that possible.”
Pear exports to India raise competition concerns
South African pear exports to India have been so successful that there are now fears that the different cultivars may start canabalising each other in the Indian market.
For the past decade, Hortgro has been working to diversify South Africa’s export markets, shifting focus away from traditional Northern Hemisphere destinations like Europe and the UK.
In 2006, South Africa exported 108 452 tonnes of pears, with 83% going to the UK, EU, and Russia, and just 13% reaching Africa, the Middle East, Far East, and Asia.
By 2023, exports surged to 231 231 tonnes, with only 50% going to traditional markets and 46% now directed to emerging markets like India.
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