In a landmark achievement for Indian agriculture and horticulture exports, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) successfully facilitated the first-ever commercial sea shipment of Indian pomegranates to the United States. The consignment, 14 tons of the premium Bhagwa variety, was dispatched from Ahilyanagar (formerly Ahmednagar) in Maharashtra and arrived in New York in March 2025. This breakthrough represents a major shift in India’s approach to exporting fresh fruits, transitioning from air freight to the more cost-effective and environmentally sustainable sea route.
Strategic milestone in India’s fruit export journey
The successful sea shipment follows India gaining market access to the U.S. for fresh pomegranates in 2023, after years of regulatory negotiations. This development was the result of persistent collaboration between APEDA, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS), India’s National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO), and the ICAR-National Research Centre for Pomegranate (NRCP), Solapur.
The breakthrough came after successful air shipment trials in 2023 and a static shelf-life trial demonstrating that Indian pomegranates could retain quality for up to 60 days under proper post-harvest conditions. This emboldened APEDA to explore the viability of sea freight. In February 2024, the first trial commercial sea shipment was flagged off in collaboration with InI Farms from the Irradiation Facility Center (IFC) under the Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB) in Navi Mumbai.
USDA pre-clearance: The game changer
APEDA played a pivotal role in removing logistical bottlenecks by facilitating the USDA pre-clearance program in December 2024, inviting USDA inspectors to India three months in advance. This ensured smooth clearance and shipment without regulatory delays. The final shipment of 4,620 boxes, weighing approximately 14 tons, reached New York’s East Coast in early March, well within the expected five-week transit period.
The consignment was dispatched by Kay Bee Exports, a Mumbai-based leading fruit and vegetable exporter registered with APEDA. Notably, all the pomegranates were directly sourced from Indian farmers, ensuring that the economic benefits of this venture permeate to the grassroots.
Quality reception and market potential
The arrival of the pomegranates in New York was met with enthusiastic reception from distributors and consumers alike. The Bhagwa variety, celebrated for its rich red color, juiciness, and high antioxidant content, was praised for its excellent quality and appealing presentation.
“This shipment has proven that Indian fruits, when handled with the right quality protocols, can stand tall in premium international markets,” said Kaushal Khakhar, CEO of Kay Bee Exports. He expressed gratitude to APEDA for its proactive efforts in enabling such exports, from securing market access to organising pre-clearance and ensuring compliance with export protocols.
Boosting farmers’ incomes through global reach
APEDA Chairman Abhishek Dev highlighted the broader vision behind the initiative: “The Government of India has been steadfast in promoting Indian fresh fruits globally. With initiatives like this, our farmers can achieve better price realisation by accessing premium markets such as the United States.” Drawing a parallel with the success of Indian mangoes, which reached an annual export of 3,500 tons, Dev expressed optimism that pomegranates could match or exceed these figures in coming years.
Strengthening export ecosystem
India is the second-largest producer of horticultural crops, with major pomegranate-producing states including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh. APEDA has set up Export Promotion Forums (EPF) specifically for pomegranates to streamline supply chains, enhance quality standards, and coordinate between stakeholders like Commerce and Agriculture Ministries, state governments, laboratories, and top exporters.
In the financial year 2023-24, India exported 72,011 metric tons of pomegranates worth USD 69.08 million. During April 2024 to January 2025 alone, exports touched USD 59.76 million, reflecting a 21 per cent year-on-year growth. Key destinations apart from the U.S. include UAE, Bangladesh, Nepal, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bahrain, and Oman.
Looking ahead: Branding and market expansion
The industry now looks to scale up promotional campaigns to educate American consumers about the nutritional value, taste, and versatility of Indian pomegranates. Stakeholders are urging APEDA to support marketing drives in U.S. retail chains and food events.
A representative from the Indian export consortium remarked, “This is just the beginning. With sustained efforts in branding, quality assurance, and logistics, Indian pomegranates can become a staple in American households.”
The first commercial sea shipment of Indian pomegranates to the U.S. marks a transformational moment for India’s horticulture exports. It is a testament to India’s ability to deliver premium, perishable agricultural produce across continents, while ensuring economic upliftment of farmers, diversification of export destinations, and enhancement of India’s global trade reputation. The success of this initiative paves the way for a more resilient, farmer-friendly, and globally integrated agricultural economy.
