Following the strong public response to the Indian mango festival held at The Avenues on Thursday, India is exploring the possibility of expanding its fruit exports to Kuwait. Indian Ambassador to Kuwait Dr Adarsh Swaika told Kuwait Times that discussions are underway to introduce Indian-grown dragon fruit, blueberries, and blackberries to the local market. “These fruits are now being cultivated in India, and there is potential for them to enter the Kuwaiti market soon,” he said.
This interest in diversification comes on the heels of the successful rollout of new Indian mango varieties in Kuwait. “For the first time in Kuwait, six new late-season mango varieties are now available in lulu hypermarket, with other major retailers also expressing interest,” the ambassador said.
Known as late-season mangoes, these include Chausa, Mallika, Amrapali, Dussheri, Langra, and the distinctive Fazli mango—recognized with a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for its unique regional origin and characteristics. “India is often called the mango capital of the world. We export over 1,000 varieties, ten of which have earned GI tags,” Dr Swaika noted. He further emphasized the strength of the food sector in bilateral trade, saying, “The food sector is one of the mainstays of our trade ties with Kuwait. Kuwait is among the top five importers of Indian mangoes globally.”
Reflecting on the mango festival held at The Avenues, the ambassador noted the strong engagement from the public. “There was very good enthusiasm at The Avenues Mall,” he said. “We started in the morning, and a lot of people came, tasted the mangoes, and were curious to learn more about the different varieties.”