Fruit Importers Diversify Markets

The reason? If, in the case of SKC Surat & Co Ltd, " 70% of our fruits are imported from South Africa , "during off-season in the southern hemisphere, the company is turning to other countries to continue to supply the local market. " When local melons and peaches from South Africa are no longer available, we import about 130 tons per year of these fruits in other markets to remain competitive , "said Shyam Surat, Surat SKC Director & Co Ltd . But, the varieties of fruits coming from these countries they won the votes of local consumers? According Sanojen Ramsamy, merchant Central Market, which offers a wide range of local and imported fruits, there are customers for these new varieties, which he calls " fruits of luxury . " Indeed, a melon Spain sells for Rs 300 unit and fisheries donuts at Rs 30.

The merchant says sell fifty boxes of fruit in two or three days. However, in Muneeram Ravi, a merchant located not far, it's a whole different story.

The price of these fruits - pomegranate Chile, for example, is sold at Rs 150 a piece - hinders consumers. " We take two to three days to sell one to two boxes of these varieties of fruits , "said Ravi Muneeram.

And, he adds, Mauritians are not attracted by this grenade.

This is what drives SKC Surat & Co Ltd, which has about 850 customers - retailers, hotels, restaurants, supermarket chains - to engage in projects' innovative '. "We want to invest in a project culture melons and strawberries in greenhouses that would increase local production and help us achieve some independence , "says the director of SKC Surat & Co Ltd, brews a number of business of Rs 500 million. A feasibility study is being conducted by a foreign consultant. This project should be operational by January 2013.