India's Uttar Pradesh state has been slated as a quickly growing fruit and vegetable hub with a compounded annual growth rate of 15% on wholesale markets, according to a survey by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).

Lack of processing facilities and cold storage, however, are preventing the state from taken full advantage of its growth and result in Rs10 billion (US$179 million) worth of losses a year.

Despite difficulties, the state grew from 2.8 million MT in fresh, wholesale market arrivals in 2008-09 to over 4.3 million MT in 2011-12, according to analysis by www.centralchronicle.com.  An estimated 4.6 million MT is expected by the end of the current fiscal year, 2013-14.

For fruit, the state comes in 6th place with 5.8 million MT produced a year, national secretary general D S Rawat said on the Indian website.

The main fruits are Guava, litchi, mango and pomegranate.

Between 2008 and 2012, www.fnbnews.com reported that the state experienced 31% growth in fruit production, compared to a decline of 4% and 14% respectively in the top two fruit producing states, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

Over the same period, market arrival of fruit produced across the country declined over 16% from 28.9 million MT in 2008-09 to 17 million MT in 2011-12.

Vegetable arrivals to wholesale markets increased less than 1%.

www.freshfruitportal.com