Tamarind monograph.pdf - Crops for the Future
Tamarind monograph.pdf - Crops for the Future
Tamarind monograph.pdf - Crops for the Future
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The major importers of fresh tamarind fruits and products are <strong>the</strong> United<br />
Kingdom, and France <strong>for</strong> European countries and <strong>the</strong> USA. Some of <strong>the</strong>se<br />
countries import tamarind <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> manufacture of pharmaceuticals and some<br />
90,000 kg (88.6 tonnes) of pulp has been imported annually <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> drug<br />
trade. Most of <strong>the</strong>se supplies are from India and <strong>the</strong> Greater Antilles. Apart<br />
from Thailand and <strong>the</strong> Philippines, tamarind is also imported to <strong>the</strong> USA<br />
from Nicaragua and many o<strong>the</strong>r Central American countries. It is one of <strong>the</strong><br />
few products that does not require an import permit from <strong>the</strong> USDA, does<br />
not require classification and can be stored <strong>for</strong> up to six months without<br />
degradation of quality.<br />
The United Kingdom imports tamarind throughout <strong>the</strong> year from four<br />
countries, and apart from Asian countries also imports from Brazil and<br />
Venezuela. Venezuelan suppliers reach <strong>the</strong> markets from June to September.<br />
The prices per kilogram of sweet tamarind fruits vary from £1.25 in Indian<br />
groceries to £2.30 in major supermarkets. The fresh fruit supplies to France<br />
are from Thailand and <strong>the</strong> wholesale prices are consistent, averaging Ff 58-<br />
60 per kilogram of sweet fruit. The degree of consistency in <strong>the</strong> price<br />
suggests that <strong>the</strong> market is very small.<br />
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