Leading Fruit Importer Shifting Its Surface Transport To EVs

IG International—on of the top Fresh fruit importers in India has said that they are growing imported fruits on Indian soil and their surface transport is also gradually transitioning to Evs to reduce the impact of sea transportation and carbon emission in the air.

Speaking to Opportunity India in an exclusive interview, Shubha Rawal, Director, Head Sourcing, IG International said that environmental protection and sustainability are top priorities at IG International because business is solely dependent on them.

“It goes without saying that our concerns about climate change, and our corresponding move towards sustainability, represent our path forward. To guide us in this journey, we have conducted an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) assessment with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC). This assessment helps us approach sustainability in a focused and strategic manner,” she said.

She added, “To reduce the impact of sea transportation, which is one of the largest consumers of fossil fuel in our operations, we are growing imported fruits on Indian soil. This strategy is significantly reducing "fruit miles". Our surface transport is also gradually transitioning to EVs, and subsequently, our reefer trucks will transition to EVs as well. We are more than willing to adopt any green energy that becomes available in the market. We are already generating solar energy to power our cold storages. It is an absolute necessity for us to go green.”

She said that logistics serve as a crucial component of a globalized economy. The Indian government has played a significant role in facilitating this growth by building mega infrastructure projects such as superfast expressways and modernizing the nationwide rail network.

This facilitates connectivity from ports to cold storages and markets, simultaneously boosting the allied economy, which largely relies on logistics.

The development of logistics infrastructure has had a profound impact on our operations as well. Without this progress, the market for our produce wouldn't have penetrated into smaller towns across India as it has now. Our imported fruits are now available nationwide, even in remote areas, thanks to the establishment of various business hubs made possible by advanced logistics. Thus, the ongoing advancements in logistics are considerably widening our market reach, Shubha added.

IG International is widely acknowledged as a trusted name in the Global fresh fruit industry, was founded in the early 1970s by our respected Chairman Gyan Chand Arora.

She said from a small outlet in Jalandhar to becoming one of the largest importers of fresh fruit in India, our growth story has seen many weathers: some hot, some cold, some rain and frost.

IG's operations in fresh fruit began by procuring citrus fruits from the hills of North India and selling them in Western Indian markets via agents.

“Our Chairman discovered the potential of imported fruits during an overseas visit, marking a new chapter for IG International. He was convinced that these fruits, if introduced to the Indian markets, would surely find acceptance among consumers. However, it took years and a shift in Indian economic policy before his vision could be realized,” She said.

Over time, IG International has established an extensive network of company-owned outlets and high-value wholesalers across 28 locations throughout India. The company has also invested in vast temperature-controlled warehousing, spanning millions of square feet.

Complementing these expansive operations, IG International operates one of India's largest cold logistics networks, which includes 200 reefer trailers, 180 reefer trucks, and 2 cold terminals.

Recently, IG has ventured into cultivating imported fruit varieties on Indian soil, successfully harvesting an Australian variety of blueberries on our farm in Madhya Pradesh.

Talking about the lesson learnt throughout the journey, Shubha said that the wisdom they have acquired over a journey spanning more than 50 years is truly priceless.

“Among the many insights, the most profound is our learning of how to respect fresh produce as the delicate gift of nature. Fruit is one of the most fragile creations of nature and demands our utmost care and attention,” she added.

“For young entrepreneurs venturing into this sector, we advise treating your fruits with the same level of love and care you would give to a new-born baby. The core human values of honesty, integrity, and relationship-building become vital in this business. They form the currency of this trade. The more you infuse these qualities into your business operations, the wealthier you become, both materially and ethically,” she further said.

Assuming a leadership role in the industry, we take it upon ourselves to find ways for the Indian fruit industry to progress and prosper. We have introduced many technologies, which are industry-firsts in India, and also familiarize others with their benefits. In addition, we have built facilities that we share with those who are not capable of making such investments. We attend global industry shows and conferences around the world to gather knowledge, which we then share with others. We are willing to take risks with new product lines in India, thereby setting a precedent for others to build their businesses. We firmly believe that growth is a community effort, not an individual one, and that such growth is sustainable.

India is the second-largest fruit producer in the world and also the second-largest importer of fresh fruit, with most imports coming from Thailand, Vietnam, and Chile. India's fruit imports more than doubled in 2021 to over 7.2 lakh tons, up from around 3 lakh tons.