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The Central Government has received the approval of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the export of Indian mangoes to the US in the upcoming growing season for the fruit.
In a statement, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said that as per estimates from the exporters, the export of mangoes in 2022, may surpass the figures of 2019-20.
The export of Indian mangoes was restricted by the US since 2020 as USDA inspectors were unable to visit India for inspection of irradiation facility due to restrictions imposed on international travel because of the pandemic, said the statement.
The approval comes days after the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) signed a framework agreement for implementing the '2 Vs 2 Agri market access' issues pursuant to the 12th India – USA Trade Policy Forum (TPF) meeting held on November last year.
Under the agreement, India and the US would follow joint protocol on irradiation for India’s mango exports and pomegranate exports to the US and import of cherries and Alfalfa hay from the US.
A revised work plan has been worked out, including phase-wise transfer of oversight of pre-clearance of irradiation treatment to India as agreed upon between both countries.
As part of the agreement, India will be able to export mangoes to the US in the mango season commencing with the Alphonso variety of mangoes by March onwards. The official statement said that there is a huge acceptance and consumer preference of Indian mangoes in the US as India had exported 800 metric tonnes (MTs) of mangoes to the US in 2017-18 and the export value of the fruit was $2.75 million.
Similarly, in 2018-19, 951 MT mangoes of $3.63 million were exported to USA and 1,095 MT of $4.35 million of mangoes were exported to the US in 2019-20, which may well be surpassed in the this year.
The USDA approval would pave the way for exports from traditional mango production belts such as Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) said that this would also provide an opportunity for the export of other varieties of mangoes from parts of North and East India such as Langra, Chausa, Dushehri, Fazli among others from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.
The pomegranate exports from April 2022. Exports of Alfalfa hay and cherries from the USA will begin in April 2022.
On Saturday, the ministry had said that both the countries have signed a framework agreement improve the each other's access to their respective agriculture markets and the export of mangoes will start from January – February 2022.
The development comes as a boost for India's agri exports which are already on an upward trajectory. Recently, government data showed that India’s agricultural and processed food exports have grown at a steady pace in the last decade notwithstanding several logistical challenges faced in the global trade of the commodities.
Further, last week, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal said India achieved the highest ever exports of $37 billion in December 2021, a 37% jump over December 2020. During April-December 2022, exports from India touched $300 billion and are expected to reach $400 billion by end of this fiscal, he added.
