USDA, APHIS to inspect Indian mango imports

Font Size

Print

Feedback

Email

Discuss

• Discount UK Shopping

Related Articles

US to review duty on shrimp importsSpices export dip 5% on low demandRevised export data leaves officials baffledTough to meet $200 mn export target this year

New Delhi, Apr 11: As Indian mangoes are on its way to the US, the agriculture and processed food export development authority (APEDA) has invited senior inspectors from USDA and animal and plant health inspection service (APHIS) to oversee irradiation facility in the country and certify export consignments as per agreed protocol.

Between April 9-10 about 1,080 boxes of Alphonso and Kesar mangoes weighing 3800 kg has been dispatched to Chicago. Also 1,275 boxes of same mangoes weighing 4,460 kg has been sent to New York and 420 boxes of mangoes weighing 1,470 kg destined for Atlanta.

The US assured to grant market access to India mangoes when president, George Bush, visited India in 2006. It was agreed that Indian mangoes should be irradiated to meet the sanitary and phytosanitary norms of that country. Accordingly the irradiation treatment facility of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) was proposed and APEDA was appointed as the coordinator for integrating the entire chainlinking.

"We have invited senior inspectors from USDA and APHIS to oversee irradiation treatment facility and certify export consignments through designated agencies," said the APEDA chairman,A K Tripathi.

India is the largest producer of mangoes in the world (around 14 Million Tons) with an over 50% share of world production. However, a large quantity of the mango produced is consumed in the areas of production.

Mangoes come in many shapes, sizes and colours. In fact, even when it comes to flavour, aroma and taste, there is a wide variety to choose from. Being a versatile fruit there are numerous usages to it. The raw fruit is used for preparing pickles, chutneys (spices or otherwise flavoured paste in fresh or preserved form) and fruit drinks. The drink prepared from the unripe green fruit is as delicious as the one prepared from ripe mangoes. Both in the unripe and the ripe form, the fruit is synonymous with nutritional value.Mango is most popular as a table fruit. Its fresh pulp is added to fruit salads, ice-creams, milk shakes and other desserts.