Decks have been cleared for the export of Indian Alphonso and Kesar to Japan with the mango varieties testing negative and clearing at least 460 chemical tests. ?Japan has approved of the quality of Alphonso sent from the state and has demanded more mangoes from Maharashtra,? Harshavardhan Patil, state minister for marketing said.
?The Toyko Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market has sent a letter to the Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB) stating that the first consignment of mangoes sent to the market had cleared the tests and has sought more mangoes from the state. However, since mango production has taken a hit this season due to unseasonal rains and chill, we may not be in a position to meet the entire demand,? Patil said.
Exports this year are likely to drop to 18,000 tonne, compared with the exports of around 24,000 tonne last year, he said. Till date around four tonne Kesar has been exported to Japan and another three tonne were sent to the US market. The marketing board will review the crops at the farms of the 350 farmers who have been granted EuroGap certificates to ensure the quality of the crop.
Last year, the Japanese government agreed to lift the 20-year-old ban on the exports of Indian mangoes and cleared six varieties for exports after Indian farmers agreed to address the problem of the fruit fly pest. Apeda has granted Rs 16 crore to MSAMB for expanding the vapour heat treatment plant at Vashi.
Of the total exports of Rs 142 crore last year, Maharashtra alone accounted for Rs 43 crore. The state has around 2.24 lakh hectares under mango production and exports to countries including Bangladesh, Nepal, Belgium, Kuwait, Iran, Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, the UK, Switzerland, UAE, France and Germany.