In an emailed response to Mint, Shane Olsen, acting director of import and export standards at New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), confirmed the development and said New Zealand was currently consulting on a draft Import Health Standard (IHS) that would allow these imports.
The move comes at a time when the two countries have advanced negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA), with four rounds of negotiations already completed.
“Biosecurity New Zealand (the Department of Primary Industries’ biosecurity department) can confirm that they are actively working to allow imports of fresh table grapes from India and Egypt,” Olsen said.
Key things
- New Zealand will allow imports of fresh table grapes from India for the first time, marking a major new destination for India’s agricultural exports.
- The move is largely seen by industry experts as a tangible, positive outcome of the ongoing India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement negotiations.
- New Zealand is introducing a new, uniform and consolidated import health standard for grapes.
- The decision is a major boost to grape growers in Maharashtra and Karnataka, the dominant producing states, and provides access to a market known for strict quality controls.
- DGCIS data shows that India currently does not export any grapes to New Zealand, a major step in diversifying India’s export destinations away from major buyers such as the Netherlands and Russia.
“As part of this process, Biosecurity New Zealand has developed and is currently consulting on a draft Import Health Standard (IHS) that will enable these imports. Imports can only commence once this consultation has been completed, the IHS has been published and arrangements have been agreed with each country’s government authorities detailing how the high-risk pests will be managed,” Olsen told Mint.
However, Olsen clarified that the country is not relaxing its regulatory requirements for importing fresh table grapes. The new IHS enables Biosecurity New Zealand to align its requirements with international standards and ensure they are consistent, practical and up-to-date with current risk profiles.
The IHS outline the biosecurity requirements that commodities must meet before they can be imported into New Zealand. They are designed to protect a country’s environment, economy and public health by ensuring that pests are managed at acceptable levels while promoting safe and fair trade with international partners.
Inquiries sent to the Commerce Department on Nov. 8 remained unanswered as of press time.
FTA momentum
The first round of talks on a free trade agreement began on May 5 and ended on May 9 in Delhi. The second round, also held in New Delhi, ended on July 25 and focused on deepening trade and investment ties and showed growing agreement on trade and regulatory issues. The third round was held in Queenstown, New Zealand and ended on 19 September, while the fourth round ended on 8 November in Auckland and Rotorua after five days of constructive discussions.
Industry experts say the move to open up New Zealand’s market is an encouraging sign that the ongoing free trade agreement talks are yielding tangible results. It also highlights India’s improving reputation for meeting high quality phytosanitary standards in fresh fruit exports.
Industry leaders termed the move as a direct result of the FTA negotiations led by Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.
“This is the first time that New Zealand is considering allowing the import of Indian grapes, which is a very positive development for both traders and farmers,” said Ekram Husain, managing director of Essar Exports and vice-president of Fresh Vegetables and Fruits Exporters Association VAFA (Maharashtra). Husain added that New Zealand could become a significant market for Indian grapes as it produces wine – a key export commodity for the country.
Producers say entering New Zealand – a market known for its strict quality standards – would mark a milestone for Indian grape exports.
Ganesh D. Patil Vadaje, a producer of table grapes from Nashik, Maharashtra, said that Indian grapes are in high demand, with most shipments currently being exported to Europe. “The opening of one of the toughest markets in terms of quality control like New Zealand is a big step forward for farmers. We would like to explore this opportunity and increase our exports to this market once it is allowed,” he said.
Export trajectory
Maharashtra is the largest grape producing state in the country, accounting for more than 67% of the total production in 2023-24, followed by Karnataka with 28%, according to Second Advance Estimates. With grapes accounting for about 2.5% of India’s total fruit growing area, the country remains one of the world’s leading exporters of fresh grapes.
According to Directorate General of Trade Intelligence and Statistics (DGCIS) data, India’s exports of fresh grapes stood at $313.7 million in FY23, rising to $417.1 million in FY24. In FY25, exports were valued at US$353.54 million. During the April-August period of FY25, exports were recorded at $44.84 million, which increased to $69.66 million in the same period of FY26.
According to government data, India exports fresh grapes mainly to the Netherlands, Russia, United Kingdom, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates, Nepal, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Germany and Thailand.
The Netherlands was India’s largest export destination in FY25, followed by Russia and the United Kingdom. Other buyers include UAE, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Germany and Nepal.
During April-August FY26, exports to these destinations were valued at USD 69.63 million, covering about 59,560 tonnes of grapes.
The data also shows that India currently has no export exposure to New Zealand for fresh grapes, so the proposed market opening is particularly significant for the diversification of India’s fruit export destinations.
