Aussie blueberries and lamb at centre stage in ABWI

Blueberry Tea Is Being Studied for Diabetes Treatment — Blueberries are seen in a field at state farm "Polesskie zhuraviny" (Polessye blueberries) near the village of Selishche, southwest of Minsk, July 21, 2014. Reuters/Vasily Fedosenko

Potential importers have tasted Aussie lamb and blueberries during an Australia-India dinner. It was the first time Australian blueberries were showcased at the Australia Business Week in India (ABWI) since gaining market access.

The dinner was hosted by Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister Luke Hartsuyker. "Australia Business Week in India (ABWI) is a great opportunity to promote Australian agricultural produce, especially for the Australian blueberry and sheepmeat industries, with delegates from these industries on the ground in India this week to promote the best Australia has to offer,” the minister said in a media release.

In October 2015, the Australian government secured market access for blueberry farmers to India. The press release states that based on the reaction to the Australian produce at the dinner, there will be a lot of interest in developing a solid consumer base there. The gala, which allows delegates to network with customers and senior government officials from Australia and India, is reportedly sponsored by Meat and Livestock Australia.

Australian lamb and blueberries at the centre stage on the menu

Hartsuyker said it was great to see the hospitality industry and food retailers in Chennai being receptive to products from Australia. He believes it is a great springboard from which to build commercial relationships for these commodities into the future.

In India, agrifood demand is forecast to increase by 136 percent between 2009 and 2050, ABARES research states. "Given that the majority of the Indian population is vegetarian, meat consumption is low but consumption of lamb in India is also expected to increase to US$3.2 billion by 2050," Hartsuyker added.

Meanwhile, fruit consumption is likely to rise by almost 250 percent by 2050. This means blueberries are well placed to carve out a piece of that market, given the fruit is packed with nutrients and antioxidants.

Hartsuyker said he knew that blueberry and sheepmeat industries will use the trip to reinforce their credentials as suppliers of high quality products. He maintained that Australia and India share a solid cooperative relationship, and there are opportunities for the two countries to further strengthen these ties and expand trade and investment links between their food and agriculture sectors.

ABWI is happening across several cities in India from August 28 to September 1. The gala features five sector-specific programs, starting in New Delhi and travelling to additional cities depending on the sector. These include Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Bhopal for meetings and site visits.