From mango fest to mango tourism, UP traders pulling all stops to go global

India is the world's leading mango producer, accounting for over 40 per cent of the global production

Uttar Pradesh, which is the country’s top mango producer with 4 million tonnes (MT) of annual production, is looking at the virgin export destinations of Iran and China this season.

Although UP accounts for 25 per cent of the annual domestic production, pegged at 16 MT, and despite having its most famous variety dussehri acquiring the first Geographical Indication (GI) registration for a mango brand in 2010, the state has a minuscule share of mango exports compared to other states like Maharashtra, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.

Mango exports from UP are the result of individual efforts of exporters and mango growers/traders without any notable financial or infrastructural support of successive state governments.

However, the state's mango exporters are now gearing up to showcase indigenous mango varieties in Iran, China and Tajikistan next month during a promotional event planned by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).

Nadeem Siddiqui, the promoter of UP-based export house Shahnaz Exports told Business Standard that APEDA has long been promoting Indian mango brands in other countries, yet it had been neglecting UP all these years.

“However, this year, they have planned the mango promotional event in June, when the famous dussehri brand would be available in the market. This would allow us to explore the new markets with government support,” he noted.

In fact, India is the world’s leading mango producer, corresponding to over 40% of the global production followed by China, Thailand and Pakistan. However, Indian mango exports, currently standing at 2.2 MT, has always been on the lower side despite high annual production, since the bulk of production is consumed domestically. The vicinity of Pakistan to the lucrative Gulf market is another reason for India getting a tough competition from its neighbour.

UP has 14 mango belts in Lucknow (Lucknow, Malihabad, Bakshi-ka-Talaab), Saharanpur and Sambhal-Amroha-Muzaffarnagar districts. Apart from dussehri, the other major mango varieties in UP comprise Langda, Chausa, Amprapali and Mallika.

However, mango from other states notably Alphonso (Maharashtra), Neelam and Kesar (Gujarat), Safeda and Badami (Andhra Pradesh) have been more successful in capturing the export market and attaining popularity.

“The proactive support in their respective states has ensured that these varieties are in good demand in other countries, while UP varieties have slogged to capture the fancy of international buyers due to the sheer apathy by the state governments for past several years,” Siddiqui rued.

Meanwhile, Insram Ali, president, Mango Growers Association of India, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath seeking support for the state's mango growers in the form of incentives. He has also suggested developing the Malihabad mango belt as a tourism destination.

He also intends to invite ambassadors and high commissioners of other countries to Malihabad next month for a mango fest that he organises to popularise UP mango, especially dussehri, which is known for its sweet aroma and lilting taste.

However, UP mango belts have suffered heavy losses due to recent spells of squall and temperature fluctuations. “The flowering in mango crop was good at the start of the season and we were expecting the state production to reach 5 MT, but due to bad weather, the production would be much less and about 25-30 MT,” Ali said. Reports of loss to mango crops have also come from other states, including Gujarat, due to bad weather.

Ali has demanded the Adityanath government to include mango under the agricultural insurance scheme at par with other food crops to insulate farmers from losses arising out of natural factors.

United Arab of Emirates (UAE) is the top export destination for Indian mango accounting for 60% share followed by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bangladesh. Besides, mango is exported to South East Asian countries, such as Malaysia, Singapore etc.

Andhra Pradesh and UP together account for about 45% of the country’s mango production, followed by Karnataka, Bihar, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu etc. Siddiqui is expecting to export about 200 tonnes of mango to the Gulf countries even as he rues losses to the crop, which he said has dampened the prospects of even higher exports this season.

“We have been unable to tap the remunerative export market due to the lack of support from the state government. The state even lacks a standard testing lab, whose certification is necessary to send any export consignment. We have to seek these certifications from other labs in other states, which not only adds to the cost but delays exports as well,” he noted.