Exporters of horticulture produce, farmers and scientists have called for setting up of an irradiation facility in Hyderabad to facilitate export of Banganpalli mango exports to the United States, Japan and other countries.

At a brain-storming session held here on Tuesday to discuss how to revive horticulture exports from the State, they wanted the Government to see to it that lab reports produced in the country were accepted by importing countries.

They also wanted information on protocols for production of export quality fruits and vegetables to be disseminated to the farmers.

The challenge of bacterial blight in pomegranate farms too was a topic of intense discussion.

The stakeholders asked the Government to work on control measures to check spread of this problem that dogged pomegranate farmers.

Mr B. Madhava Reddy, a grape exporter who has been taken on the APEDA board, has asked the State to come up with proposals to build common infrastructure facilities.

kurmanath@

thehindu.co.in

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