Australian exporters of table grapes, pome fruit and summer fruit have secured improved market access to India, which has approved in-transit cold treatment.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud says the move is a "major breakthrough" for the country's farmers who will be able to gain better returns by supplying fresher fruit to the market.

The approval to use in-transit cold treatment is expected to boost export volumes of Australian fruits.

“This is a massive market of young, health conscious and vegetarian consumers seeking high quality fresh and safe fruit and vegetables," he said.

“The main benefit of cold treating products in-transit compared to onshore in Australia is that better quality fruit arrives in the destination country. As the product is treated as it is transported, it gets to the market quicker and the exporter can charge a premium based on increased freshness.

“These are two significant market access achievements for our farmers who are the bedrock of our economy and will lead Australia’s post-COVID recovery."

He added that India has the world’s second-largest population and its sheer scale and demand for food is projected to outpace supply.

“The Indian malt market is estimated at 500,000 tonnes, worth over $100 million dollars, and it is anticipated Australia could gain a fair proportion of that market in 2021," he said.