Sandeep Singh of Amar Import and Export said, "Freezing affects the taste of most tropical products and also gives consumers a stale feeling."
Only some specially selected tropical products can be frozen cut and ground without losing quality and taste. Frozen product sales are very limited. "Most tropical products are available in unprocessed form, and there are only a few types of products that provide added value in frozen form, such as beans and cassava," he said.
“Tropical products need to travel long distances to reach consumers, and consumers prefer fresh products.” Sandeep now has low expectations for frozen products. “The most mainstream demand in the market is still fresh products. Although the prices of frozen products are lower, this It didn't make much difference." With increasingly stringent regulations in Europe, such as the Netherlands Food Safety Authority (NVWA) and Quality Control Authority (KCB), there is a risk of a sudden drop in imports of fresh tropical products. "Increasingly stringent regulations on pesticide residues affect sales and prices. If the price difference between fresh tropical products and frozen tropical products is too wide, the results will be difficult to say."
Wim Karsten of Karsten BV is also a trader of fresh and frozen tropical products. Their frozen product sales are also limited. Frozen products are only available when alternatives are not available during the off-season. Almost all tropical products are now available year-round in fresh form, and there are ample alternatives, which is a major reason why frozen products are languishing.