The general secretary of Casa do Azeite, Mariana Matos, believes that the trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and India is a “big help” for companies in the sector, which is returning to the “most accessible” market.
The third-party agreement between the EU and India provides for a reduction in tariffs over current trade from 45% to 0% no earlier than five years ago.
“India’s oil consumption is very limited, but it is a huge market and has the potential to grow, so the removal of additional duties is good news,” the secretary general said.
India is looking for 1,700 tons of oil a year, which is “pretty modest considering the size of the country,” he said.
Between January and November 2025, Portuguese exports seek only 250 kilos of azeito to India, a value that, as Mariana Matos sublinhou says, is “completely residual”.
The fact that India is not an important country for Zealand “incidentally does not mean that it is not an interesting consumer because it is a product that is recognized for its health benefits”.
However, the high price compared to other oils is the “main obstacle” to sales growth in this market.
A manager at Casa do Azeite also told us that integrating azeite into Indian gastronomy is a “challenge” that “requires sustained promotional campaigns and information, which is not very easy in such a large market.”
Portugal is the world’s fifth largest merchandise exporter after Brazil, Italy, France and the United States, with Spain as its main market.
And Casa do Zeite lists producers and packers and represents around 85% of branded products packed in Portugal.
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