Irradiated mango exports may rise 200% this season on demand from US, Australia

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Mangoes are exported to countries such as: United State And Australia It is likely to record close to 200 percent growth this season between 2,200 and 2,500 tons as demand picks up and availability of quality products improves. APEDA sources said factors such as a drop in international air freight rates and the start of an additional irradiation facility in Gujarat helped the shipments.

Indian mango exports to the United States and Australia undergo an irradiation process, where the fruit is exposed to gamma rays that kill insects or pests inside the fruit. The irradiation facility is located in Mumbai, Nashik, Bengaluru and the latest one in Ahmedabad was commissioned this year.

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“By the end of this season in July, we expect mango exports from the irradiation facilities to be in the range of 2,200-2,500 tons, nearly 200 percent up from last year’s 891 tons, mainly to the United States,” the APEDA exporter said.

Air Freight

Rationalization of air freight has made Indian mangoes viable for US consumers this season, said Kaushal Kakkar, CEO of Kay Bee Exports, a major exporter. Also, the price gap between Indian and Latin American mangoes, which was earlier multiples, has now reduced giving an incentive to the Indian diaspora to try it out. This is why shipments have more than doubled this year, Kakkar said.

KS Ravi, Managing Director, Innova Agri Bio Park in Bengaluru, said shipments from his facility will reach a record 500 tonnes this year, up 100 percent from the previous year, due to strong demand from the US and Australia. . Innova, the only fruit and vegetable irradiation facility in South India, sources its mangoes from registered plantations at Vijayawada, Nellore, Kadapa, Chittoor, Kolar, among others.

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“We export all kinds of mangoes like Banganapalle, Imampasand, Rasalu, Kesar and others. “There is a huge demand, but we are not able to meet that because we are not getting enough quality mangoes,” Ravi said.

Shipments to other countries have also increased, the exporters said. India’s total mango exports, which reached 22,923 tons during 2022-23, are expected to rise this year.