Prices of nuts and dry fruits have surged sharply over the past month, after the war in West Asia disrupted supplies from Iran and tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan slowed shipments, constraining availability and pushing up costs for Indian buyers.
Prices of staples such as raisins, dates and pistachios have risen 20-30% on average, with sharper spikes in some categories, according to industry estimates. Traders attribute the increase to delayed shipments, higher freight and insurance costs, and restricted trade flows through critical corridors.
The impact is significant because India depends heavily on imports for dry fruits and nuts (DFN), which make up nearly 80% of the country’s $8.5 billion market. With domestic production limited, any disruption in key supplying regions quickly feeds into local prices.
Supplies have been hit particularly along routes passing through Iran and the Persian Gulf, including the Strait of Hormuz, slowing arrivals.
“Shipments are facing delays, with traders indicating arrival timelines have slowed by nearly 15-25%. Freight and insurance costs have also risen sharply by about 15-30%, adding to supply-side pressures,” said Gunjan Vijay Jain, president, Nuts and Dry fruits Council (India), an industry body.
Jain said consignments routed via Iran, including those from Afghanistan, have been severely hit, with some shipments halted, tightening availability in key consumption hubs such as Mumbai and Delhi and increasing volatility in both wholesale and retail markets.
Prices spike across categories
The supply squeeze has translated into sharp price increases across categories.
Rajeev Pabreja, managing director, Commodity Trading Corporation, said prices have risen sharply across categories, with green raisins up nearly 40% from about ₹600 per kg to ₹1,000 per kg, premium Mamra almonds from Iran up about 25% to ₹3,500 per kg, and prunes in some cases doubling from ₹500 per kg to ₹1,000 per kg. Pistachio prices have risen from ₹2,000 per kg to ₹2,800 per kg in the past month.
Overall, he said, imported dry fruit prices have increased between 15% and 100%, depending on availability and sourcing constraints.
India sources a wide range of dry fruits globally, with Iran and Afghanistan among the key suppliers of pistachios, figs, raisins, apricots, dates and premium Mamra almonds. Together, West Asia and Afghanistan account for nearly 40-45% of India’s total dry fruit imports, highlighting the sector’s exposure to the current disruption.
Beyond this region, almonds and pistachios are largely imported from the US, walnuts from Chile and the US, dates from Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and cashews from West Africa, alongside domestic production. India’s total dry fruit demand is estimated at around 1.43 million tonnes annually, against domestic output of about 380,000 tonnes, implying that nearly 73–80% of consumption is met through imports.
Importers seek alternative sources
Importers are scrambling to diversify sourcing to plug supply gaps, though alternatives come with higher costs and potential quality variations.
Retired colonel Nitin Sehgal, chief executive, Nuts and Dry fruits Council (India), said the US, and Georgia in Europe are key alternative sources for almonds and pistachios, while Turkey is gaining ground as a supplier of figs and hazelnuts. He added that Australia is also emerging as a reliable sourcing partner for almonds and macadamias.
Also, Chile and Argentina continue to be a reliable source for walnuts, and Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are being tapped for raisins and apricots. This diversification is critical to maintaining supply continuity, although logistical costs and quality variations remain key considerations in the transition.
An email query sent to the ministry of consumer affairs remained unanswered till press time.