India hopes to revive mango export to Australia this year.

PUNE: India is preparing to export irradiated mangoes to Australia, four years after being granted market access, in a move that traders believe could revive faltering overseas sales that have declined 30% in the last three years.

Ranked first in the world in mango production, Indian exports are not significant. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has been trying to develop overseas market for Indian mangoes. The United States opened its market for Indian mangoes five years ago. The US has one of the strictest hygiene norms and the mangoes have to be treated at the irradiation facility.

Australia approved the policy of importing Indian mangoes in 2008. However, the trial shipments of mangoes treated with vapour heat treatment (VHT) reportedly faced quality issues. The Australian authorities recently visited the irradiation facility at Lasalgaon near Nashik and Maharashtra.

Both the Indian and Australian governments are currently working on preparing the standard operation procedures (SOP) for mango export. If the SOP is prepared this season, then there is a possibility of sending trial shipments of the Chausa and Langda varieties in July after irradiation.

Mangoes are irradiated at the Lasalgaon facility where the US officials remain physically present. Mango export has declined 30% from 83,703 tonne in 2008-09 to 59,220 tonne in 2010-11. Export for the juicy fruit to the US has also declined during the same period.

The Middle East still remains the main market for Indian mangoes. "Middle East is an easy market for Indian mangoes. The US market needs many compliance. The mangoes have to be transported from the growing area to the irradiation facility and then to Mumbai for shipping. This results in deterioration of quality," said an official of a big agri-business company on condition of anonymity. However, Indian exporters face tough competition from Pakistan, which is cheaper than the Indian mangoes.

Mango exports to Japan, which needs VHP treatment, have declined 88% during 2008-09 to 2010-11. "Indian mangoes become very expensive by the time it reaches US or Japan. After the tsunami, the demand for Indian mangoes has declined in Japan. Major customers of Indian mangoes in the US are the people of Indian origin who prefer to eat Alphonso mango. But Alphonso has quality issue as it develops spongy tissue by the time it reaches US," said KZ Toshnival, managing director, Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board.

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com