Dry fruits like cashews, almonds are in for stiff competition from the new variants popularly known as the 'healthy nuts' or 'healthy dry fruits'.
NEW DELHI: With fitness freaks stressing on fat-free healthy diet, dry fruits like cashews, almonds are in for stiff competition from the new variants popularly known as the 'healthy nuts' or 'healthy dry fruits'.
"Researchers and nutritionists across the world have proved that it is wrong to stay away from nuts because of the presumed fat and cholesterol. No, doubt, nuts indeed give you fat but then hazelnuts gives you good fat," says V N Dalmia of Dalmia Continental Private Ltd (DCPL) which is all set to market Leonardo Hazelnuts in India promoting it as a 'healthy nut'.
Exports and importers dealing with dry fruits agree that new varieties of 'healthy nuts' are giving a strong competition to what was traditionally dry fruits in India namely, cashews, almonds and raisins.
"The lifestyle trend is such that everyone wants to go in for healthy variants so why should dry fruits be any different. Now, we see that slowly traditional dry fruits like cashews are taking a backseat while new exotic dry fruits and nuts like macadamia from Australia and mulberries among other like dry cherries, dried plums and prunes gaining higher demand," says Sanjiv Obhrai, Director, Chocolatiers the Chocolate Boutique in the capital.
"The market is growing for such dry fruits," he adds. Even DCPL, which recently launched packed hazelnuts in the market is very bullish with market expectations.
"We expect sales of 60 tonnes which amounts to roughly Rs 3 crores in the first year and are looking at a compounded annual growth rate of 75 per cent per annum for the next five years," DCPL added.
Market for dry fruits or nuts in India is huge. From festivals to weddings and Indian delicacies, nuts or dry fruits are an essential ingredient.
Even though India is major consumer of dry fruits, a large percentage of the demand is met through imports.
As per industry estimates, current consumption of almonds is 29,000 tonnes of which 28,000 tonnes are imported.
Dry dry fruit wholesalers in the capital point out that India's dry fruits imports chiefly consist of almonds, raisins and apricots.
While almonds form almost 75 per cent of our dry fruits imports, cashew nuts are homegrown and though Indian varieties of raisins are also available, Kandahar and Kabul varieties remain favourites, they add.
"The industry has grown a lot. At one point of time Delhi was the main hub for dry fruits to be despathched around the country. But now with the coming of internet and mobile phones, retailers directly place their orders with the producers. Moreover, today most goods are packaged ones unlike earlier which used to be sold loosely," says Varun Chand, another wholesaler in the capital.
So, you have cashews and almonds which are now packed and sold as branded products. Even Leonardo hazelnuts which would be imported from Turkey will be be packaged in Mumbai after adding flavours to it.
"The hazelnuts have also taken on to the Bollywood masala. While the nuts would be imported from Turkey, flavours would be added to it in Mumbai. So, you have the option of having Masala, Chatpata and Pudina flavour," Dalmia adds.
Industry experts point out a changing trend where dry fruits are no longer seen just as a gifting option but more as regular food.
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