India's mango exports are expected to rise marginally to 70,000 tonne this year on expectation of better availability of the export-quality fruit, according to the agri-export promotion body APEDA. The country is estimated to have exported 65,000 tonne of mangoes in the 2010 season (March-July), the provisional official data showed.
"The mango export season has just begun. We expect the total outbound shipments to touch 70,000 tonne this year," a senior official of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) said.
As per trade reports, there is a good availability of export-quality mangoes and hence total export could be higher than last year, the official said.
He said availability of good quality mangoes depended on weather conditions. The country's total mango production is seen at 15-16 lakh tonne during 2011, the official added.
The export season begins with the shipment of alphonso variety in March and continues with the shipment of Kesar (from Maharashtra and Gujarat) and Beganpalli (from Andhra Pradesh) in May-June.
Exports of Dasheri, Lagra, Chausa (from Uttar Pradesh), Mallika and Malda from Eastern States takes place in July.
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Presently, large quantities of mangoes are exported through an expensive air route. To minimise expenses and encourage trade via sea route, APEDA has announced that it will compensate losses, if any, of upto 50% in 2011.
"We have decided to compensate losses if any upto 50% while exporting one container of mangoes and to one destination," the official said. Last year, 40 tonne of mangoes were shipped via sea and APEDA is expecting more export through this route this year.
Maximum mangoes are exported to the Middle East, Europe and neighbouring countries Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.