Mango delight: A year after ban, King of Fruits to re-enter Europe

An EU committee on Tuesday endorsed a proposal of the European Commission to lift the ban on the import of mangoes from India, in a major victory for campaigners in both India and the EU.

Mangoes from India will return to the EU region a year after they were banned.

The Commission’s proposal to lift the ban was considered during the two-day meeting of the Standing Committee on plants, animals, food and feed in Brussels on Monday and Tuesday, and follows the audit carried out by the Commission’s Food and Veterinary Office last September.

The audit in India showed “significant improvements” in the certification system, the Commission said in a statement on Tuesday.

“India has also provided assurances that appropriate measures are now available to ensure that the exports of mango fruits are free from quarantine pests, like the fruit flies not known to occur in the Union.”

However, a ban on other vegetables including bitter gourd, eggplant, and snake gourd, also imposed at the same time, remains in place and will be reviewed once further evidence was gathered on their Phytosanitary (disease control) certification system.

The ban was imposed following the discovery of pests such as fruit flies in a number of consignments and “significant shortcomings” in the certification system. However the decision attracted criticism, with campaigners arguing that improvements were already being made and that a ban could have been avoided through discussion and monitoring. In Europe much of the campaigning against the ban was centred in Britain, which imports around 90 per cent of the Indian mangoes destined for Europe.

Several parliamentarians raised the issue — with MP Keith Vaz estimating that the cost of being able to stock the highly prized fruits could reach around £200,000 for individual small- and medium-sized businesses. India also enlisted the help of Britain’s Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on training and support on the EU certification system.

The emotional and political significance accorded to the matter was highlighted by the high-level interventions made over time. Last year former Commerce Minister Anand Sharma raised the ban with then EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht.

“The ban on mangoes from India has been devastating for many Indian businesses in the UK and growers in India,” said Priti Patel, the British government-appointed Indian Diaspora Champion, in a statement on Tuesday.

“We are completely delighted that the ban has been overturned and common sense has prevailed,” said Monica Bhandari of British wholesaler Fruity Fresh, which imports around 40 tonnes of mangoes a week during peak season. However, “We are going to have to work on perceptions now. There was a false perception that the ban was in place due to health reasons.”