Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has facilitated the first commercial sea shipment of Indian pomegranates from Maharashtra to USA.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry in a statement today said that the inaugural sea shipment of 4,620 boxes of Indian Bhagwa variety of Pomegranates, weighing approximately 14 tons reached the U.S. East Coast in the second week of March, well within five weeks of the point of departure. The Ministry described it as a significant milestone for India’s Fresh Fruits exports.

After India had been granted market access by USA for Pomegranates, during the season in 2023, APEDA in collaboration with United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, National Plant Protection Organization and National Research Centre for Pomegranate, Solapur successfully conducted the trial shipment of Pomegranate to USA by air.

Owing to the success of the static trial to enhance the shelf life of Pomegranates for up to 60 days by APEDA in collaboration with ICAR-National Research Centre for Pomegranate, India had successfully flagged off its first trial commercial sea shipment of Pomegranates.