Avocado sandwiches and toast are quickly becoming a culinary craze in India, driven by the fruit’s reputation as a healthy, versatile, and trendy ingredient.
This rising demand has not only sparked creativity among Indian street vendors but is poised to help open the door for Australian growers to expand their exports, thanks to the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA).
A street vendor, Kallakar (@kallakar_00) in Surat, Gujarat, recently went viral after being showcased by food vlogger Surti Mayurkumar Vasantlal (@Foodie_Addicted) for offering an avocado toast priced at an eye-watering ₹13,000 (around AUD 250).
The dish featured premium pule cheese, a Serbian delicacy made from Balkan donkey milk and goat milk, costing ₹51,000 per half kilogram (AUD 975). This extravagant creation has captured the imagination of Indians eager to experiment with avocados, traditionally viewed as exotic and luxurious.
In 2024, India solidified its position as a key market, with avocados increasingly recognised as a staple in modern vegetarian diets. The growing demand, coupled with the benefits of AI-ECTA, prompted Queensland-based Avolution, a leading exporter of Hass avocados, to expand into the Indian market.
The company had already been shipping over 150 containers annually to regions such as Hong Kong, Malaysia, and the Gulf. Antony Allen, CEO of Avolution, observed:
“At the moment, consumers in India see avocados as a bit luxurious and exotic,’ he says. ‘But there is potential for huge volumes. India has an amazing variety of cuisines. Most are predominantly vegetarian. Avocados are an easy, healthy addition.”
AI-ECTA has been a game-changer for Australian growers, cutting tariffs on avocados from 30% to 17.1%, with plans to eliminate tariffs entirely by 2028.
By mid-2024, more than 320 tonnes of Western Australian avocados, valued at over $1.6 million, had been exported to India via sea freight. By the end of the year, Australian avocado producers had increased production by 30% compared to the previous year.
Avocados Australia revealed a 13% rise in the gross value of production, reaching $649 million, up from $574 million in 2022/23. In the 2023/24 financial year, Australia exported 21,979 tonnes of avocados, marking a 106% increase from the previous year and representing 14.56% of the total 150,913 tonnes produced nationwide.
India’s preferential treatment provides Australian suppliers with a significant price advantage over competitors from New Zealand, Chile, and Peru. Avocados Australia observed:
“In both production and exports, Australia is currently a small player in the world avocado market. Ongoing activity is underway targeting Australia’s growth in export markets.”
Improved cold supply chains have also made it possible to distribute avocados through both high-end hospitality venues and traditional roadside stalls, known as sabziwallas. These sellers are vital in reaching India’s vast grocery market, bringing avocados to a broader audience.
Allen believes that Indian social media influencers and users have significantly transformed how Australian businesses engage with potential customers.
“‘In India, our growth phase coincides with a period when it’s far easier to grow through social media. India could easily overtake Hong Kong as our biggest export market within 2 to 3 years.”
From Instagram-worthy avocado sandwiches to luxury toast, Indians are finding new ways to enjoy this superfood. With Australian exports booming, the humble avocado has firmly planted its roots in Indian culinary culture.
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