Mangoes from India are popular in the Middle East, the Far East, the United States and European countries.
Mango exports from India might see a significant jump this year after South Korea allowed imports of this exotic fruit following stringent pest risk analysis.
South Korea imported mangoes worth $48 million in 2016, mainly from Thailand, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Pakistan, Australia, Peru and the United States.
India’s entry into the South Korean market will intensify competition. Mangoes from India are popular in the Middle East, the Far East, the United States and European countries.
In an advisory on March 14 to its members, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), said: “The South Korean animal and plant quarantine agency has finally agreed on importation of Indian mangoes into South Korea after vapour heat treatment.
Export will be allowed for produce sourced from registered farmers under the Apeda Hortinet system. Interested exporters may book their slots for processing of mangoes for export to South Korea.” India’s exports of fresh mangoes declined nearly 15 per cent last year.
Apeda estimates India’s exports of fresh mangoes were 36,329 tonnes in 2015-16 compared to 42,998.31 tonnes in a year ago. In value terms, however, exports remained flat at $49.49 million in 2015-16 against $50.26 million in the previous year.
The United Arab Emirates imports over 50 per cent of Indian mangoes in volume terms and 60 per cent in value terms followed by the United Kingdom.
“We have started booking orders and are enquiring with suppliers. By now, we could have dispatched some consignments,” said Dheeraj Patel, owner of the Ahmedabad-based VB International, a mango trader and exporter.
Australia, too, has hinted at liberalising norms for import of mangoes from India. The Australian government has accepted the operational work plan for export of irradiated mangoes from India as another post-harvest quarantine measure.
Leading exporters like Desai Fruits, a unit of Deepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals, have dispatched the first consignments of this season. Others like Mohammad Ashfaq and Co, a Lucknow-based mango exporter, are yet to start shipments.
Trade sources expect shipments will start in full swing in a week with the arrival of export-quality mangoes. Cold weather followed by a sharp increase in temperature have affected the mango crop this season.
Mango flowering remained high this year, which led to expectations of a higher fruit output this season. A normal monsoon last year prompted the government to forecast a 3 per cent higher mango output this year.
But the cold wave hit the early variety. Normal and late varieties of mango were also affected by a heat wave. Also, there were reports of intermittent rainfall in the north-east, a major mango growing region.
Photograph: Reuters