The UAE food industry, seeking support from the Indian government for imports, has emphasized the substantial demand in Middle East countries for various products such as chicken, dairy, basmati rice, frozen marine goods, and wheat from New Delhi. To facilitate this, the industry has requested assistance in streamlining certification processes, enhanced coordination with the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), and the harmonization of standards.
Expressing the need for high-quality packaging of Indian products, the UAE industry believes this will empower New Delhi to increase exports of food and food products to countries like Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. During his recent visit to the UAE, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal engaged in extensive discussions with importers to explore ways to boost exports from India.
Industry insiders, including Nissar Thalangara, Head of Sales UAE (Frozen and Beverages) at Global Food Industries LLC, highlighted significant opportunities for India to export frozen products to these countries. Representatives from Oman-based Khimji Ramdas Group emphasized the demand for Indian basmati rice, suggesting that a reduction in the minimum export price (MEP) from the current USD 1,200 per tonne to USD 850 per tonne could boost Indian exports.
Issues related to halal certification were raised by a GCC importer, acknowledging India’s well-established halal meat certification system. Executives from Allanasons Pvt Ltd and Choithrams highlighted the positive impact of the India-UAE free trade agreement on promoting exports, with a focus on product packaging. Appcorp Holding Chairman Nitesh Ved suggested the establishment of an APEDA office in the UAE to support the food industry.
Another GCC importer emphasized the demand for products from Indian cottage industries, underscoring the importance of addressing standards, packaging, and labeling issues. The India-UAE trade agreement, implemented in May the previous year, contributed to the bilateral trade between the two countries increasing to USD 84.9 billion in 2022-23 from USD 72.9 billion in 2021-22.
