Loads of Indian mangoes to satiate US consumers.

New Delhi: American consumers visiting supermarkets would soon get to taste loads of juicy Alphonso, Kesar and Bengalpalli mangoes this year.

With the setting up of irradiation facilities at Lasalgaon (Nasik) and in Navi Mumbai, India is all set to start high value mango exports to United States through the sea route.

According to a senior official from the Agricultural and Processed Foods Export Development Authority (APEDA), exporters have already received orders for sale of around 150 tonne of mangoes and these consignments would be dispatched over the next few weeks.

“With another irradiation facility coming up at Ahmedabad, prospect for more mango exports to the United States and European countries look bright,” the Apeda official told FE. Countries like United States and Japan have made irradiation and vapour heat treatment for fruits and vegetables imported into the countries mandatory.

India’s mango export to the US was halted over fear of presence of weevils and fruit fly in the consignments. The United States Food and Drug Administration wanted India to have irradiation facility to get rid of weevils and fruit fly in mangoes instead of commonly used vapour heat treatment.

The APEDA official said that last year mango exports to the US were close to 300 tonne. Officials said with the resumption of mango exports through the sea-route, India would be well armed to compete with its market leaders such as Peru, Brazil and Venezuela.

Exporters said besides lower freight, large consignments of 15-20 tonne per container could be moved through the sea as compared to just 1-1.5 tonne by air.

Indian mangoes become costlier than their South American counterparts, because of higher freight, which no longer will be the case. Last season, one dozen Indian mangoes cost $20-25, while the same quantity of South American manogoes was selling at $5-$6. India exported 350 tonne of fresh mangoes to the US in 2008. India’s share of global mango trade is around 8%-10% with exports of 80,000 tonne per annum. APEDA official said that a large quantity of mango is exported to Bangladesh and other Gulf countries, but they do not fetch much price.

Source : Financial Express