India joins other Asian nations for Oz Fremont Mandarins feast

Now, you can savour Australia's popular citrus fruit, Fremont Mandarins, here without visiting that country.

Leading fruits importer and exporter IG International (IGIPL) has imported Fremont Mandarins from Australia for the first time. The Fremont Mandarins would be imported from Ironbark Citrus, a grower of mandarins in Queensland, Australia. "India was the only market left out with regard to Fremont Mandarins after its successful launch in other Asian countries, including Indonesia. So, we introduced the citrus fruit here. While the first consignment of around 20 tonnes has already arrived and almost sold, another one is in transit. Every two weeks, we see one consignment coming in," said Tarun Arora, director, IG International.

Mandarins are low-calorie fruit known for its 'cleansing' characteristics. Two small Mandarin fruits can supply 35 per cent of the daily vitamin C requirement. Fremont Mandarins is an ideal substitute for oranges, as oranges are not available now as it is not the harvest season. Sold to stockists at Rs 120 a kg, consumers can get Fremont Mandarins at Rs 150 a kg. "Its shelf life is much higher than oranges available from Nagpur and also tastes better," said Arora.

Ironbark Citrus is Australia's premier boutique mandarin grower and specialises in supplying premium mandarins to the world. "The Indian fresh fruit market is one of the world's fastest growing markets. Our premium mandarins are extremely popular throughout the world and are sold in many countries. We are confident that India will become an important market for this wonderful fruit," said Susan Jenkin, chief executive officer, Ironbark Citrus.