Bhagwa Pomegranate, India’s Export Variety

Bhagwa combines attractive deep-red skin and arils with a thicker rind and longer shelf life than other Indian varieties, making it the standard for sea-freight export to the Gulf and Europe.

We grade fruit into count sizes from roughly 200 g to 400 g+. Gulf markets commonly take 250–300 g fruit, while European buyers often prefer larger 300 g+ grades.

Yes. EU shipments are supplied against destination MRL norms with residue testing available before shipment, along with phytosanitary certification and full traceability.

Growers induce flowering in one of three cycles, called bahars, which between them spread fruit across most of the year. Mrig bahar harvests from roughly November to February and carries the largest export volume with the strongest colour. Hasta bahar supplies the spring window. Treat these as planning ranges rather than fixed dates, since they shift by weeks with rainfall and temperature.

Shipped in reefer containers at 5 to 7°C and handled properly from the packhouse, Bhagwa holds around two months. That is what makes sea freight viable to the Gulf, Europe and Asia rather than requiring air. The figure assumes an unbroken cold chain: time spent warm early in the journey is deducted from shelf life at the far end and cannot be recovered by cooling harder later.

Yes, on confirmed orders. Standard packing is 3 to 4 kg corrugated boxes with fruit separated to prevent bruising. Buyer artwork, labelling to your market’s requirements and alternative box sizes can be arranged, but tell us before production rather than after, since packaging is ordered ahead of the harvest window.

Three metric tons. Because pomegranate ships in reefer containers and the freight economics favour fuller loads, larger volumes price better per kilogram. For a first order we would generally rather you took a smaller quantity and tested the relationship than committed to a programme before seeing the fruit.

Yes, and we would encourage it on a first order. Buyers routinely appoint SGS, Intertek or an equivalent agency at their own cost to inspect at the packhouse or at stuffing. No supplier serving export markets should object to third party inspection, and reluctance to allow it is worth treating as a warning sign.

Price tracks the bahar cycle in production and the grade you specify. Fruit at the front of a window, from the main Mrig harvest, is generally both better material and better priced than fruit drawn from the tail of a cycle, when a higher proportion of the crop falls outside export grade and grading to a tight tolerance costs more.

Most commonly cracking, which disqualifies fruit outright, decay entering through a damaged crown, and colour or size falling outside the agreed grade. All three are addressable by specifying grade and tolerance in writing, appointing inspection at loading, and agreeing in advance how arrival condition is assessed and by whom.