With nuts as the "spearhead", and fresh fruits, wines, salmon, creative industries, among other guilds, the Chile Summit India was present in New Delhi and Mumbai, with the aim of showing the country and its products in that world market.
"I think Chile is a beautiful country, with diverse climates and geographical conditions. It has sea, beaches, mountains, desert and glaciers. And best of all, it has a valley where there are lots and lots of fruits, nuts and dried fruits, which we are all eager to market and import to India," said Raju Bathia of India's California Agri Nuts Corporation, one of the attendees at the inauguration of Chile Summit India 2024 in New Delhi.
The event, the first in terms of country positioning for Chilean exports in the Indian market, was attended by a delegation headed by Foreign Minister Alberto van Klaveren and Minister of Agriculture, Esteban Valenzuela, and more than 10 private sector associations. The visit was organized by ProChile and sought to strengthen institutional ties between Chile and India, identify opportunities for commercial cooperation and advance in agreements that facilitate the exchange of goods and services.
"India is one of the most important markets in the world, among the top five economies globally, and Chile has to mark its presence and is doing so through this Chile Summit India 2024. Export promotion requires a joint effort between the State and the private sector and this great event held in India is the best demonstration of this," said Minister van Klaveren. The Minister of Agriculture pointed out that Indiais the country that "is growing the most in the world, at a rate of 8%, with an enormous amount of cultural and economic opportunities, in cinema, mining and, of course, in agri-foods, wines, meats, fresh fruits and to see how we continue to grow in nuts".
There were four days with an intense agenda in New Delhi and Mumbai, in which the different sectors -fruits, nuts, wines, salmon, mussels, creative industries-showed Indian authorities and businessmen that Chile has raw material with high quality standards and that it can become an important contribution to the Indian food market.
"I think what we have seen from what Chile has produced in the last five years is that it is a sustainable market, the products are of high quality, and the perception of Chilean food in India is improving. We believe Chile has high food safety standards," said Amit Lohani, executive director of the Forum of Indian Food Importers (FIFI), who signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chile-India Business Council.
Chilean walnuts (Chilenut) have paved the way for the Indian market to value Chile's agri-food products. They started with a small export in 2019 and today more than 70% of the walnut sold in India comes from Chile. "Chilenut has made an effort over the last few years making its attributes known. Chilean nut is by far the most valued nut by Indian consumers. The truth is that it is a source of pride," said the president of Chilenut, Juan Esteban Rodríguez.
A reliable country
One of Chile's challenges for a successful and consistent entry of its products into India has to do with the country's image. It is important that Indian consumers and businessmen associate a favorable image with Chilean products. "It is essential to deliver a coherent, coordinated country image that works in a stable manner, with a long-term perspective. A strong public-private partnership is essential to convince the authorities and the public in general that the effort being made is a joint effort that lasts over time and in which the whole country, with a single image, is working together," said the Chilean Ambassador to India, Juan Angulo.
Along these lines, Juan Francisco Velasco, Manager of Partners and International Affairs at the Santiago Chamber of Commerce, stated that "trust is very important for the Indian market and Chile has this intangible that we must take advantage of, with institutions that work. And that is very important for India".
"It is really remarkable the atmosphere that has been given by both the Chilean delegation, the public and private sector, of collaboration, of willingness to pull this cart and to continue deepening this market. But also with our Indian counterparts. There is a feeling that one travels 16,000 kilometers and finally meets friends. You meet partners who want to help you. That is very relevant and I love what is happening in this market," concluded the general director of ProChile, Ignacio Fernandez.
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