After a tough season final year, mango growers in India are seeking at greater exports this year. Malaysia and Argentina have emerged as the new markets for the Indian mango this season with exports to the Middle East anticipated to commence next month onwards, senior officials of the Maharashtra State Agriculture Marketing Board (MSAMB) mentioned.
Australia, the USA, Europe, UK New Zealand, Japan and South Korea are other prospective markets for the Indian mango. India typically exports about 50,000 tonnes of the Alphonso and Kesar varieties of mangoes each year. Maharashtra is the biggest mango exporter in the nation and accounts for almost 80% of the total export of the nation.
At least 13,603 mango orchards have registered on MangoNet — an on line traceability method in the existing season. This incorporates 5000 Kesar growers and 9000 mango growers. MangoNet has been established by APEDA to register mango growers and exporters and allow importers and supermarkets in the EU to verify full facts of their shipments — on the lines of ‘GrapeNet’ established for grapes. Last year only 8,700 orchards have been registered on MangoNet.
Officials from MSAMB, the state advertising and marketing board in Maharashtra, mentioned they have been working at a frantic pace to prepared all facilities for export. MSAMB has ready its vapour heat therapy plant at Vashi, Navi Mumbai, irradiation facility at Baramati and export facilitation centre at Ratnagiri, pre-cooling storage facilities, ripening chambers and packhouse for export.
Sunil Pawar, MD, MSAMB, mentioned about 600 tonnes was sent to the USA and Australia soon after irradiation in the 2018-19 season. “US sends an inspector to India to oversee the irradiation process. But last year, no exports happened to the US because the Inspector did not visit India due to the Covid outbreak. Discussions are still in process with the US officials,” Bhaskar Patil, Manager in charge of mango exports, MSAMB mentioned.
Japan has been importing mangoes from Indian due to the fact 2006 and sends inspectors to oversee the vapour heat-therapy method. However, final year mainly because of the Covid-19 outbreak, the inspectors could not be sent to Mumbai. Instead, the Japanese government had permitted the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage to oversee the essential procedures, he mentioned, adding it could be the very same this season as properly. High freight charges could be one more damper that could impact exports, he mentioned. It expenses Rs 300 per kg to transport mangoes by air, he added.
Of the total mango exports from the nation, Kesar accounts for 50-55%, Bangnapalli accounts for some 30%, Hapus or Alphonso one more 13-15% and the remaining 40 other varieties account for the final 9-10% of the total outbound shipment.
The mango season is anticipated to start a month late with low arrivals in March due to the delay in winter. The government has granted Geographical Indication (GI) tag to the Alphonso mango from Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and other adjoining regions, a move that will assistance recognize the authenticity of this range of fruit. This is anticipated to assistance in greater exports.