The first commercial sea shipment of Indian pomegranates has arrived in New York City.

The fruit has traditionally been shipped by air since 2023, facilitated by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS), India’s National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO), and the National Research Centre for Pomegranate in Solapur (NRCP).

The sea shipment of 4,620 boxes of Indian pomegranates, weighing approximately 14 tons, was shipped by Kay Bee Exports in Mumbai. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry highlighted the shipment as a historic milestone “marking a key step in introducing Indian pomegranates to distant markets such as the United States.”

Kay Bee Exports, a leading exporter of fruits and vegetables from Mumbai, is a registered exporter with APEDA. The pomegranates were sourced directly from local farms affiliated with Kay Bee Exports, ensuring the benefits of the export reach Indian farmers at the grassroots level.

In 2023-24, India exported 72,011 metric tons of pomegranates, valued at $69.08 million. This represents a 21% increase over the $59.76 million in pomegranate exports recorded between April and January of the 2024-25 fiscal year.

“We are thankful to APEDA for facilitating exports of Indian Pomegranates to the U.S." Kaushal Khakhar, CEO of Kay Bee Exports said about the successful shipment. "APEDA’s efforts have ranged from securing market access to setting up export protocols, co-ordinating with multiple stake--holders and organising the pre-clearance program in conjunction with -USDA."