Mangoes exports to US may grow by 43% this year

NEW DELHI: Mangoes exports from India to the US are likely to rise by 43 per cent to 130 tonnes this year, on higher availability of export quality fruit and robust demand.

Last year India, the world's largest grower of the fruit, had shipped about 91 tonnes of mangoes to America.

"Mangoes exports to the US so far has been 90 tonnes and the overall shipments could touch 130 tonnes this year," a senior official of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority ( APEDA) told PTI.

The shipments to America are expected to be much better than last year as there is good supply of export quality fruit on account of conducive weather conditions, he said, adding that there has also been regular demand for Indian mangoes.

Mangoes are exported to the US via air after the irradiation process, which is a modern food preservation technology that can reduce the risk of food poisoning, control food spoilage and extend shelf-life of food.

The US prefers irradiation to get rid of an insect pest mango seed weevils and fruit fly from the fruits.

The official said annual export volumes to the US could improve to 200-300 tonnes, had there been more irradiation centres in key mangoes growing states.

At present, there is only one irradiation centre in Nasik district of Maharashtra. As a result, only Alfonso and Kesar varieties of mangoes grown in Maharashtra and Gujarat are being shipped to the US, the official added.

Mango exports to the US resumed in 2007. The volumes of export have been below 100 tonnes in the last three years.

The country's overall mangoes exports are expected to be around 80,000 tonnes this year.