India, the new pickle Eldorado

A symbol of French gastronomy, the gherkin is mostly produced in India, in lands with a tropical climate. Pandi Suberamanian is the harvest manager for one of India’s largest growers. Every year, he exports 400 tons of pickles to France. “When we harvest, we remove the pickle from the stem, then we remove the flower from the other side”, he explains. The work was done in France until the 2000s, but was then relocated because labor costs 15 times less in India.

The climatic conditions also allow three harvests per year, instead of just one. In the south of the country, thousands of farmers have converted to growing pickles, which yield more than other fruits and vegetables. In just 30 years, India has become the world’s largest exporter of pickles. By relocating their production, the brands have been able to reduce their costs, without skimping on the quality of their products. In total, more than 80% of the pickles consumed in France are produced in India.