A giant fry: How India went from importing frozen French Fries to turning into a number one exporter

Skinny, crisp, and so very indulgent, there’s nothing extra addictive than French Fries. These deep-fried potato fritters have caught the flowery of foodies throughout continents and have turn out to be, maybe, the perfect factor on a platter.

In India, these scrumptious and delicious French Fries solely got here in 1992 when American processed meals firm, Lamb Weston, started importing them to high-end lodges. And it appears the love story solely grew from there. By the mid-2000s, the nation was importing greater than 5,000 tonnes of French Fries yearly, with it peaking at 7,863 tonnes in 2010-11.

However reduce to 2023-2024, India’s import of French Fries has diminished to nearly zero. In reality, the nation exported 135,877 tonnes of French Fries valued at Rs 1,478.73 crore in the identical interval, turning into a pacesetter out there.

However how did this turnabout happen?

India’s love affair for French Fries

India’s love for these golden fried crispy fritters started in 1992 when Lamb Weston, an American processed meals firm, initiated its first imports of frozen French Fries to India, focusing on upscale eating places.

4 years later, Canada’s multinational meals firm McCain Meals adopted go well with and have become the only provider of frozen French Fries to
McDonald’s after the US meals large opened its first outlet within the nation.

Since then, India’s consumption of
frozen French Fries has solely grown leaps and bounds (can you actually blame us?). India’s home French fry consumption is estimated at 100,000 tonnes yearly, valued at Rs 1,400 crore.

However larger consumption additionally means larger imports of the meals merchandise. The import of those straight-cut potatoes grew to over 5,000 tonnes by the mid-2000, hovering to a report excessive of seven,863 in 2010-2011.

From importer to main exporter of French Fries

Nonetheless, the narrative shifted in 2023-2024. India went from being a serious importer of the quick meals to a serious exporter.

Knowledge exhibits that the nation exported 1,35,877 tonnes of French Fries valued at Rs 1,478.73 crore. Throughout April-October final 12 months, exports have been 1,06,506 tonnes and value Rs 1,056.92 crore.

However who’s India exporting to now? These exports are largely to Southeast Asian nations, such because the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Nations similar to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman are additionally a big marketplace for India’s French Fries. Furthermore, India’s exports of those fluffy potato fritters have additionally reached the shores of Japan and Taiwan.

As Haresh Karamchandani, managing director and group CEO of HyFun Meals Pvt Restricted that’s one in every of India’s main exporting French Fries exporting firm, stated to Indian Categorical, “We’ve got turn out to be another provider to those markets that beforehand imported solely from Europe and the US.”

Notably, India’s exports of French Fries have exceeded its home consumption.

Components serving to India

However how did India attain this transformation and take over the French fries market? There are a number of components at play, the most important being the nation’s potato famers selecting to develop extra of the processing-grade potato varieties, which is used to make French Fries.

Let’s perceive this higher. To make frozen French Fries, one requires processing-grade potato varieties similar to Santana, Innovator, Kennebec, Kufri Frysona and Kufri FryoM and Girl Rosetta and Kufri Chipsona. Whereas Sanatana, Innovator and Girl Rosetta largely from Netherlands-based firms, the Kufri varieties are developed by the government-owned Central Potato Analysis Institute, Shimla.

Furthermore, as HyFun Meals explains
contract farming has benefited them significantly. For the unaware, contract farming is when farmers and consumers draw up agreements that define how farm merchandise shall be produced and marketed.

Explaining this additional, HyFun stated that for the present season, it plans to purchase 400,000 tonnes from 7,250 farmers in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. For this, the agency has provided farmers Rs 13.8 per kg for his or her produce.

Iscon Balaji Meals, one other main exporter of frozen French Fries, stated that it has launched three new European varieties.

Along with this, these exporters additionally assist present potato farmers with good high quality disease-free seeds.

There are additionally efforts being made by these firms to deliver down the price of cultivation. As an illustration, HyFun performed ‘HyFarm paathshala’ demonstrations final September wherein it was proven how planting potato seeds in two rows inside a 48-inch mattress width will assist improve their yield. Historically, potato seeds are planted in 4 rows and a 60-inch mattress. With this, HyFarm has been capable of cut back the variety of seeds — from 25 to 19 baggage per acre — reduce down the usage of fertilisers by 20 per cent and water by 50 per cent. What this basically means is much less capital required to develop potatoes.

Stating the advantages of following this mannequin, Alpesh Navinbhai Patel, who cultivates the Santana selection on 180 acres in Gujarat, instructed Indian Categorical, “At Rs 1,560 per bag, my seed price alone at this time is Rs 39,000 per acre. If I take advantage of six baggage much less of seed, two baggage every of di-ammonium phosphate and muriate of potash (from three), and two baggage of urea (from 2.5), it interprets into financial savings of Rs 12,500 per acre. That’s nearly as good as being paid Rs 0.9/kg extra for my potato,” Patel instructed Indian Categorical.

Taking a chew out of the French Fries market

In line with information supplied by businessresearchcompany.com, the French Fries market measurement has grown strongly in recent times. It can develop from $17.45 billion in 2024 to $18.54 billion in 2025 at a compound annual development fee (CAGR) of 6.2 per cent.

Consultants word that the rise in demand for ready-to-eat meals will propel the expansion of the French Fries market going ahead.

And at this time, because of lengthy and sustained efforts, India has emerged as a pacesetter. Knowledge exhibits that income from the French Fries market in India will rise to $2.25 billion by 2034. This from the $1.38 billion in 2023.

What can we are saying? The urge for food for French Fries appears insatiable and India is fulfilling that potato mania.

With inputs from companies