India’s avocado boom fuels import surge as local supply lags

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.NEW DELHI: India’s avocado demand is surging, but domestic supply is still playing catch-up, keeping the country reliant on imports even as local cultivation expands.Government data show imports have more than tripled in two years, rising to $42.27 million in FY26 (till February), from about $27 million in FY25 and $13.5 million in FY24. Domestic output, meanwhile, has increased more gradually—from about 6,000 tonnes in 2023 to around 9,000 tonnes in 2026, experts said.The mismatch highlights a widening gap: rising health-driven consumption is outpacing India’s nascent production base, forcing the market to lean on overseas suppliers even as farmers begin to scale up planting.The area under avocado cultivation has expanded over the years, with farmers in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Sikkim and parts of Maharashtra responding to growing urban demand.

The area under avocado cultivation in India has expanded over the years and is now estimated at around 10,000 hectares across the country.Imports have been rising steadily, with Tanzania, Kenya, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico and Peru among key suppliers. In 2024–25, India imported about 11,800 tonnes of avocados, with shipments coming in from countries including Tanzania, Kenya, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico and Peru.However, a broader estimate of total annual consumption remains difficult to establish, as reliable and organized data on domestic production is not available.Avocado, introduced into India between 1906 and 1914 by an American missionary using planting material from Sri Lanka, is increasingly becoming a preferred choice among health-conscious consumers.Health experts say that people are