VISAKHAPATNAM: The Union government has secured the approval of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for export of Indian mangoes to the USA in the new season. The export of Indian mangoes has been restricted by the USA since 2020 as USDA inspectors were unable to visit India due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The USDA’s approval would pave the way for exports from traditional mango production belts such as Andhra Pradesh.
While several countries import mangoes based on the certification given by the phytosanitary inspectors of Andhra Pradesh, countries like the USA and South Korea deploy their own inspectors to India to certify the mango consignments.
According to industry sources, traders export about 10,000 tonnes of mangoes from Andhra Pradesh to various countries every year. But the official estimates put this figure at about 2,000 tonnes. The difference in the numbers stems from the fact that the traders, after procuring mangoes from the state, export them from international flights and ports in other states like Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, etc.
Additional director, department of horticulture, M Venkateswarulu, said that irradiation treatment is a must to export mangoes to the USA. “Vapour heat treatment is required to export mangoes to countries like South Korea and Japan. Andhra Pradesh has two VHT facilities in Tirupati and Nuzvid out of the four such facilities in the country. The export norms vary from country to country. For instance, several Middle East countries import mangoes certified by the state’s phytosanitary inspectors. But it is different for countries like the USA, Japan, South Korea, Australia, etc.” said Venkateswarlu.
The additional director added that Andhra Pradesh horticulture department has eight phytosanitary inspectors. “Processes like irradiation are aimed at eliminating the live pest, fungus or disease in the mangoes. The state horticulture department is conducting training programmes for the farmers, in association with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, to enable them to utilise export opportunities in overseas markets. Banganapalli, Suvarnarekha, Alphonso and Collector are the most exported mango varieties from the state. The horticulture department is working towards increasing the mango exports from the state,” said M Venkateswarulu.
Industry sources said that lack of international cargo and related infrastructural facilities at the airports of the state is hampering the direct export opportunities from the state. The traders have to rely on shipping ports and airports in other states. Similarly, Andhra Pradesh has 12 pack houses for horticulture crops. But these also reportedly lack connecting facilities to improve the export scenario of the state.
