The Hindu Business Line : Mango exports to Japan seen at 40 tonnes

New Delhi May 21 Following the lifting of ban on Indian mangoes by the US, India is hopeful of exporting about 35-40 tonnes of mangoes to Japan by the end of this season (end-July), the Minister of State for Commerce, Mr Jairam Ramesh, said here.

Talking to media persons, after flagging off the first consignment of Banganpalli mangoes from Tirupati to Japan on Sunday, Mr Ramesh said that this is the first full season that the country is exporting mangoes to Japan after the two-year ban was lifted for six varieties in June 2006. These varieties are Alphonso, Banganpalli, Chausa, Kesar, Langar and Mallika. He said market access for Malda and Sushehari varieties are now under review.

Pointing out that Andhra Pradesh is the leading producer of mangoes accounting for about 30 per cent of the country's mango production and about 80 per cent of mango pulp production, he said that each Banganpalli mango is likely to retail at Rs 200 in Japanese stores.

He said the Government is now negotiating with Australia to export mangoes and "we hope to succeed in this front by next year". Banganpalli could be targeted at the US market, as a large number of non-resident Indians from Andhra Pradesh reside there.

The Minister said that he has urged the Andhra Pradesh Government to set up a mango growers' cooperative and actively involve women self-help groups so that the benefits flow to the small growers and not to big traders and middlemen.

VHT plant

He said the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has established a vapour heat treatment (VHT) plant at Vashi near Mumbai and is setting up three more at Tirupati and Nuzvid in Andhra Pradesh and at Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh.

The investment in each of the plant is around Rs 8 crore, he said, adding that three plants were functioning in the private sector at Chittoor, Thane and Nashik. The VHT plants are essential for treating Indian mangoes so that they meet Japanese sanitary standards.