The European Union on 26th March imposed a ban on Indian mangoes and other vegetables (egg plants and gourds) from 1st May , due to issues over pests found in them last year. However, Indian government officials say there is no justification behind the ban as an improved SPS certification system has been put in place from 1st April to produce high quality mangoes.
The measures prohibit the import of fruits and vegetables from India to tackle what is called “significant shortcomings in the phytosanitary certification system”. The problematic pests that were threatening EU agriculture and production were ‘tobacco whitefly’. Experts claim these insects could pose a potential risk to tomato and cucumber crop. The ban, agreed by a committee of experts representing member states, is to be reviewed by the end of 2015.
Due to the large range of climatic conditions in the EU, it can supply most of its needs of fruits and vegetables year round. However, there are certain fruits which Europe doesn't produce owing to its weather conditions. Some studies reveal EU import over 224 million kgs of mangoes with a value of approximately 265 million EUR.
This is bad news for Indian farmers and traders whose huge chunk of mangoes will be left rotting. Mango farmers from Ratnagiri are now looking to depend on the Gulf market, which imports 20% Indian mangoes.
Though in value terms, the export of Indian mangoes and vegetables to EU is only around 10% and runs into only a few hundred crores, the ban may harm the image of Indian mangoes in other countries, like the U.S which saw a record export from India, of about 500 tonnes. In 2010, EU had imported mangoes worth 265 224.000 EUR.
The issue has caught the imagination of politicians in India .Political parties like the AAP are promising to provide impetus to export of new varieties of mango, as well as other fruits such as the watermelon.
India produces 1,63,37,400 tons of mango every year and is the largest producer in the world. Every year the International Mango Festival is held in Delhi. This year the festival will be held on the 2nd of July.
Photo by fruitnet.
