Boost for mango exports

With the country's mango exports to Japan set to register a seven-fold increase in the coming season, the Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is investing Rs 30 crore to set up four new vapour heat treatment (VHT) plants by March, 2008.

The VHT units are for disinfecting the fruits from fruit flies. Since the Japanese market is very quality conscious, the APEDA expects mango exports to get a boost with the new plants.

"Infrastructure constraints are the biggest challenge. For the Japanese market, we have to meet their import and quality regulations," said K S Money, chairman, APEDA.

The country, which has only one VHT plant, exported a meagre 138 tonnes of mangoes to Japan in 2007. Factors such as late clearances in the fag-end of the season resulted in low exports to Japan.

"During the next season, we will be able to export mangoes to Japan from the beginning," he added.

The new four plants, with an overall capacity of 15 tonnes per batch, will come up one each in Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh, and two in Andhra Pradesh, including one at Tirupati. These will mainly cater to Japanese and Chinese markets.

"With five VHT plants, we will be able to export more than 1,000 tonnes of mangoes to Japan in the coming season," said S Dave, director, APEDA.

He added that in 2007, the country exported around 75,000 tonnes of mangoes globally, which could jump to around 90,000 tonnes, if not a lakh tonnes, in 2008.

Out of the 20 commercial varieties of mangoes, India exported six varieties to Japan. "We plan to add dussehri from the next season," said Money.

The APEDA was also in talks with the Australian government to start mango exports, he said. Currently, the country exports mangoes to over 80 countries across the world, with the major chunk going to Europe and West Asia.

The US, an emerging market for mangoes, is also expected to see a huge jump in exports from next year. "This year (2007), we exported 200 tonnes to the US and expect to take this figure to 2,000 tonnes in the coming season," added Dave.

The APEDA also has plans to export pomegranates, grapes, banana and lichee in the future. The US and Japan have ben identified as the major markets for these fruits.

TUTTI FRUITY

The country's total mango exports to touch 90,000 tonnes in 2008, up 20 per cent

Mango exports to Japan to touch 1,000 tonnes in 2008, a seven-fold increase

APEDA to invest Rs 30 crore in setting up four VHT plants

Exports to Australia will start soon

Country has 20 commercial varieties of mangoes