India’s domestic appetite for imported fruits and vegetables has expanded over the last decade, with the country's total import bill increasing by 114 percent and import volumes growing by 84 percent. According to data published by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S), India's import value rose from $1.78 billion in 2016-17 to $3.82 billion in 2025-26, while total quantities widened from 11.22 lakh tonnes to 20.66 lakh tonnes over the same period.
Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada, in a recent reply in the Lok Sabha, noted that India's trade in fruits and vegetables has remained robust, reflecting strong domestic production capabilities alongside integration with global agricultural markets. India has consistently maintained its position as a net exporter of horticultural products. Total exports increased from $2.45 billion in 2016-17 to $3.93 billion in 2025-26, with export volumes rising from 49.5 lakh tonnes to 58.2 lakh tonnes.
Geographical shifts marked the import landscape over the ten-year timeframe. The United States cemented its position as the top exporter of fruits and vegetables to India, with import values from the US doubling from $0.67 billion in 2016-17 to $1.45 billion in 2025-26. Import volumes from the US increased by 74.5 percent, moving from 1.90 lakh tonnes to 3.32 lakh tonnes. The US has maintained an export volume of over 3 lakh tonnes valued at more than $1 billion to India for the past three consecutive years.
Conversely, trade patterns with neighbouring countries shifted significantly. Imports from Pakistan dropped to zero by 2025-26. Pakistan had previously exported approximately 1.66 lakh tonnes of fruits and vegetables valued at around $128 million to India in 2016-17, but trade saw a consistent decline starting in 2019-20 following trade restrictions implemented after the Pahalgam terror attack.
Meanwhile, China's exports to India declined by 53.3 percent in terms of value and 51.53 percent in terms of volume between 2016-17 and 2025-26. China's export value dropped from $176.95 million for 2.13 lakh tonnes in 2016-17 to $82.63 million for 1.03 lakh tonnes in 2025-26, though China remains among the top exporters of the commodity to India.
Other leading exporters to India by value include Afghanistan, the UAE, Iran, Chile, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Australia, Sri Lanka, and South Africa. In terms of volume, top contributors include the UAE, Iraq, Iran, South Africa, Afghanistan, China, Egypt, Chile, and Vietnam. Additionally, countries such as Kenya, Jordan, Bangladesh, Serbia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Croatia, Peru, and Indonesia increased their value share significantly over the decade, while nations like Indonesia, Turkey, New Zealand, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Italy, and Germany increased their export volumes to India.
"The data highlights a significant evolution in India's agricultural import and export dynamics over the last decade. While total import volumes and values have grown substantially to meet rising domestic demand, we are also witnessing a major restructuring of trade partners. The prominent rise of the US as the leading supplier, alongside the complete halt of imports from Pakistan and the halving of China's share, demonstrates how geopolitical factors and trade policies directly reshape supply chains in the agricultural sector." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes
