Himachal’s Apple Juice Concentrate Eyes Global Markets, Quality Tweaks Underway

Himachal Pradesh’s ambition to take its apple juice concentrate (AJC) to international markets has received encouraging interest from overseas buyers, though some quality-related improvements may be needed before large-scale exports take off.

A Dubai-based distributor recently shared feedback from prospective international customers after reviewing samples of apple juice concentrate produced by the Himachal Pradesh Agricultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC). The buyers reportedly pointed to the concentrate’s darker colour and higher acidity, attributes that may not align with preferences in certain global markets.

HPMC Vice-Chairman Surender Sharma downplayed the concerns, describing them as minor and easily manageable. He said the corporation has already begun working on improvements and expects the issues to be addressed in its next production batch.

While acknowledging that many international buyers prefer a clearer and lighter-coloured concentrate, Sharma maintained that the quality of HPMC’s product remains strong. He added that the corporation is actively exploring export opportunities beyond the Middle East, with interest also emerging from some African countries.

The corporation’s export journey has seen both opportunities and challenges. Earlier, samples sent to Japan reportedly faced questions regarding clarity, while products were also dispatched to Italy to evaluate their suitability for producing schnapps. Feedback from Italy is still awaited.

Officials believe that sourcing better-quality apples for processing could further enhance the concentrate’s appeal in foreign markets. At present, HPMC procures Grade C apples under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) at ₹12 per kilogram. They stress that the long-held belief that only inferior or damaged apples are suitable for processing needs to change, as higher-quality fruit produces better concentrate and improves export prospects.

HPMC currently manufactures around 1,500 to 2,000 metric tonnes of apple juice concentrate annually across its three processing plants. Most of the output is used within India for apple-based beverages, mixed-fruit drinks and carbonated products.

This season, however, production has been significantly affected by a shortage of raw material. Compared to nearly one lakh metric tonnes of Grade C apples procured last year, only about 10,000 metric tonnes had been purchased until recently. As a result, HPMC’s Parala processing unit has produced only around 400 metric tonnes of concentrate so far, while its other two plants have remained non-operational.

Despite the setback, officials remain optimistic that quality improvements, better raw material availability and growing international interest could help Himachal’s apple juice concentrate carve a stronger presence in global markets in the coming years.