The outlook for the coming pomegranate season in India is particularly good. Exports of the established Bhagwa pomegranates are generally from November to March. “Indian pomegranates are slightly higher priced when sold, but those who value quality and taste are usually willing to pay this higher price. This is because with a Brix value around 15+, the fruit performs very well compared to pomegranates from other countries of origin,” reports Jaswinder Singh Bhamra, direct importer, sales representative and managing director of RhineLink GmbH, based in Hamburg. This year, he will also offer pomegranate seeds in 150- and 250-gram trays for food retailers, as well as flyers in bulk (1 and 3 kg) for the industry.
Increasing demand for mangoes and sweet corn
In addition to pomegranates, mangoes also continue to gain importance, Jaswinder continues. “From mid-March to June, we offer Indian mangoes of the Alfonso and Keser varieties, both as flyers, and we are seeing increasing demand in European markets. Although this is an extremely sensitive product, we have now succeeded in delaying fruit ripening somewhat and extending the shelf life by ten days after arrival. Our fruit purees and concentrates for the industry are shipped by ocean freight, unlike fresh produce.”
Vegan and health-conscious consumers are demanding untreated and pesticide-free produce, according to Jaswinder. “We have recognized this trend for us and are responding with new product lines, such as our fresh sweet corn as well as sweet corn kernels. Both products are 100 percent pesticide-free: in practice, this means that the product undergoes strict quality testing before it leaves our production site at origin and is loaded. We are finding that our product is well received in the fresh market,” says the fruit trader, who also offers baby sweet corn in bulk as well as small containers.
In order to also meet the still increasing demand for edible avocados, Rhinelink works with producers in East Africa, whether Kenya, Tanzania or Rwanda. Jaswinder says, “East African avocados have quickly established themselves in Europe, which is reflected in an increasing demand for both Hass and Fuerte avocados. The Kenyan government is also trying to target exports by only giving its green light once the DMC values, ripening and calibration of the fruit are right. We offer not only the conventional ready-to-eat avocado, but also organic avocados as well as processed goods for the guacamole industry.”
The wide range of products offered by the company, which was founded in 2016, is rounded off by coconuts and mini vegetables as well as chili. “We want to continue to meet the needs of a changing and emerging market and are therefore looking for new, surprising products. Through our roots and over three decades of industry experience, we have built up a network of reliable partners and can therefore connect both sides, whether buyers, supplier or other collaborations and inquiries,” says Jaswinder.
