S Africa clears import of mangoes from India: Farm export body

Source: The New Indian Express

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa has granted permission to import different varieties of mangoes from India, an official of India's farm export body said here.

Simmi Unnikrishnan, Assistant General Manager from the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) of India, made the announcement at the 'Bharat Mango Utsav 2024' event at the Indian Consulate here last week.

Addressing local traders and the media, she said, "We received market access for mangoes last year and have now flagged off 1.5 metric tonnes of mangoes from Gujarat to India.

Guests at the event were given the opportunity to sample several varieties of Indian mangoes specially brought in for the occasion -- Alfonso, known as the king of mangoes, Totapuri, Rajapuri, Badami, Kesar and Neelam.

India is the largest producer of mangoes in the world, producing 50 per cent of the global production, with South Africa accounting for 17 per cent of the world's mangoes, Unnikrishnan said as she appealed to the traders to assist in importing Indian mangoes and popularising them in South Africa.

"It was difficult getting the permission from the South African government. There was a period where analyses had to be done, as these mangoes come after irradiation treatment," Unnikrishnan shared.

Speaking at the occasion, Consul General Mahesh Kumar said, "A lot of effort has gone into getting this market access, so if we can import it and familiarise people, we will be able to have data from next year about how much we will be able to sell in the South African market."

Kumar said he believed it would be a viable proposition to import Indian mangoes, especially since mangoes would then be available all year round to South Africans, with the growing seasons being the opposite in the hemispheres where India and South Africa are located.

Pranav Khattar, one of South Africa's leading distributors of Indian food products, said he had been asking APEDA to get the required import permission for mangoes every year since he started importing Indian goods in 2012.