New Delhi – European apples and kiwis are enjoying strong success in India, and the “Garden of Europe” campaign co-funded by the European Union promotes apples and kiwis grown in Europe, focused on safety, sustainability, and flavor that appeals to today’s Indian consumers.
According to trade data presented in the recent Freshfel Europe report, EU exports of apples to India jumped 130% from 2016 to 2024, reaching more than 62,000 tons. Poland led this growth by far, rising from just over 2,000 tons in 2016 to more than 36,000 tons in 2024. Greek exports of kiwifruit to India also grew significantly during this period — up by over 100%.
As part of its 2025 activities, the Garden of Europe campaign took part in the Fresh India Show, held from 13–14 June 2025 at the CIDCO Exhibition Center in Navi Mumbai, one of India’s leading events for showcasing imported fresh produce. Indian buyers and industry professionals had the opportunity to discover what sets European apples and kiwis apart: their exceptional taste, full traceability, and production in line with strict EU standards. In addition, B2B dinners were organized, offering further opportunities to strengthen business relationships between European exporters and Indian partners.
Despite recent agricultural challenges in Greece — including extreme heat, historic forest fires, and devastating floods in 2023 — the country’s kiwifruit sector remains resilient. The Thessaly region, a key production area, was particularly affected, yet Greece still expects to harvest around 311,000 tonnes of kiwifruit for the 2023/24 season. This reinforces Greece’s status as the EU’s fourth-largest fruit producer and a rising force in global kiwifruit exports.
In Poland, the 2024 apple harvest faced challenges due to late frosts, high humidity, and labor shortages. As a result, production is expected to fall to around 3.2 million tonnes, down 18% from 2023. While quality remains strong, the overall volume is
lower. Nonetheless, Poland continues to be one of the world’s top apple exporters — and a key supplier to the Indian market.
India is becoming one of the most important global destinations for European fruit, and the Garden of Europe campaign aims to strengthen the relationship between EU producers and Indian consumers.
“Garden of Europe” is an EU co-funded campaign promoting European fruits (apples & kiwis) in the Indian/Indonesian/Israeli market.
The campaign’s beneficiaries are the Agricultural Cooperative of Neapoli from Greece and the Association of Polish Fruit and Vegetables Distributors “Fruit Union” from Poland. For more information, please visit www.appleandkiwi.eu.
