The Hindu Business Line : Mango exports to figure in talks with Japan

It could be destination Japan for India's famed mangoes after the United States. Getting Japan to lift the ban on import of Indian mangoes is high up on the agenda of Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr Kamal Nath's scheduled bilateral talks with the Japanese administration during his three-day visit to Tokyo starting on Wednesday.

While there have been indications of a Japanese nod to allowing import of Indian mangoes before Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh's probable visit to the country later this year, concerns raised by the Japanese administration regarding the fulfilment of quarantine requirements have been a major deterrent. "Several key aspects of the Indo-Japan engagement are likely to figure in the bilateral talks scheduled during the next couple of days. Entry of Indian mangoes into Japan is one of the most important," a Commerce and Industry Ministry official accompanying Mr Nath said.

A Japanese team of inspectors was in India in April to check the country's vapour heat treatment facilities as a precursor to possible import of mangoes into Japan from India. Concerns regarding pests, fruit fly and high rejections among Indian mangoes have been among the major concerns raised by the Japanese. Japan currently imports mangoes from countries such as Philippines and Indonesia, which is sold in the country at exorbitant rates. During his stay here, Mr Nath is scheduled to meet a five-member DIET delegation of Research Commission on Trade in Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Products and also meet Mr Shoichi Nakagawa, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to deliberate on issues including access for Indian mangoes to Japan.

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