In a country where the fruit market is valued at over USD 100 billion, conversations around quality, consistency and varietal development are becoming increasingly relevant, according to Harish Varadharajan, Timothy Chad van Niekerk, and Damian Lopez Salazar, co-founders of Fragaria Fruits, an Indian high-tech greenhouse grower.
“India has tremendous potential for high-quality production, but limited access to improved genetics, outdated production methods, and the general lack of trusted domestic brands restrict the choice and quality of fruit available to consumers,” explains Harish.
© Fragaria Fruits
According to Timothy, Fragaria’s initial focus will be on modernizing strawberry production through genetics that suit India’s diverse climatic conditions. “Our initial strawberry strategy targets June-bearing varieties that allow programmed harvests and maximize the number of cycles per year. Trials are already underway with Emocal and Fresh Forward selections, benchmarked against Limgroup’s F1 seed technology to assess cost and yield performance,” Timothy explains while adding, “The early signs are encouraging. Next in the development pipeline are Low- and no-chill blueberry and raspberry varieties from Fall Creek and Advanced Berry Breeding.”
Despite India’s size as the second-largest fruit market globally, domestic fruit branding remains sparse, mentions Damian. “Consumers here know international names like Zespri or Rockit, but there are just a few locally produced fruit brands that deliver consistent eating quality year-round.” Damian points out that India’s berry market alone is already worth over USD 1 billion, yet consumption among its top-tier consumers remains just one-fifth that of China, reiterating, “This is not a problem of demand, the problem is of supply limited by seasonality and genetics.”
© Fragaria Fruits
Harish, Timothy and Damian are in agreement that access to modern cultivars remains a critical obstacle. “Weak enforcement of breeding rights discourages top breeders from introducing their plants into India,” says Harish. To address this, Fragaria is developing its own propagation capacity to ensure plant security and maintain breeder confidence. “We are also navigating broader challenges around skilled labor availability and fundraising in a low-investment climate for tech-based farming ventures,” Harish adds.
Timothy and Damian conclude by highlighting the importance of international collaboration. “We’re open to working with genetics companies that see long-term potential in India as well as welcome berry growers interested in exploring advanced agriculture opportunities in India to join us. What this market needs is varieties adapted for local conditions and modern production systems.”
For more information:
Harish Varadharajan
Fragaria Fruits
Tel: +91 97 89 911 140
Email: [email protected]
www.thefragaria.com
Timothy Chad van Niekerk
Fragaria Fruits
Email: [email protected]
www.thefragaria.com
Damian Lopez Salazar
Fragaria Fruits
Email: [email protected]
www.thefragaria.com