Food Trade Mission from US visits India

Bangalore, Aug 31 (UNI) A trade delegation from Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA), comprising representatives from 15 States in the South United States and the commonwealth country of Puerto Rico, have arrived in India to promote and market high-end food products.

''We are eyeing India because it is the fourth largest economy in the world and there has been a notable shift in consumer preference for imported food and increasing purchase power of the Indian middle class,'' SUSTA Director (Generic Programme) Bernadette Wiltz said.

Speaking to mediapersons here today, she said that in a short span of four years after arriving in India, SUSTA had recorded 2.4 million customers, mainly in the niche market in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. Trade inquiries had been received for food products like sauce, potato chips, corn chips, jams, microwave snacks, cookies and corn kernels.

''Our market research shows that there is a good market, particularly for niche products such as pet foods or health foods having low sugar content and anti-oxidant properties, in India.

Hence, we plan to showcase and export high value-added food products targetted at upper-end consumers, particularly in metros and mini metros in India,'' she said.

SUSTA, a non-profit agricultural export trade development association, had roped in Imports2India Consulting to increase the export of US Southern States' food and agricultural products. Apart from today's visit to Bangalore, the trade mission would be visiting New Delhi and Mumbai to showcase their products, meet key importers and buyers and survey the fast evolving Indian retail scenario.

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