The official opening of South Africa to a range of Indian mangoes is a noteworthy development in the agricultural trade between the two nations. During the Bharat Mango Utsav 2024 event hosted at the Indian Consulate, Simmi Unnikrishnan, Assistant General Manager of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) of India, announced this development. Following a year of talks, this decision is anticipated to greatly boost the mango trade.
A 1.5 metric tonne cargo of mangoes from Gujarat to South Africa was completed, and the announcement was made in front of local traders and the media. Alfonso, Totapuri, Rajapuri, Badami, Kesar and Neelam are among the new types that highlight India's wide range of mango cultivators. India, the world's greatest mango producer, produces half of the world's mangoes, with South Africa contributing 17%.
Unnikrishnan underlined the difficulties in getting approval from the South African authorities because the mangoes needed to be treated with radiation. To guarantee the quality and safety of the fruit being imported, this process was essential. Given that the two hemispheres have different growth seasons, Consul General Mahesh Kumar was upbeat about Indian mangoes' prospects in the South African market and noted their year-round availability.
Leading Indian food product distributor in South Africa, Pranav Khattar, expressed his excitement about the new import authorization. Khattar anticipates a bright future for Indian mangoes in both South Africa and the neighbouring states where Indian expatriate groups live, having asked APEDA for this approval every year since 2012. He emphasised that although specifics of pricing are still being worked out, he is optimistic that Indian mangoes would be competitive with regional types.
Indian mangoes were brought to South Africa for commercial as well as cultural reasons. Indian mango pulp has long been a mainstay at Indian restaurants in South Africa. It is anticipated that this action would enhance the nation's gastronomic offerings even more. Unnikrishnan gave the assurance that APEDA would help buyers in South Africa by supplying information on exporters from the mango-producing regions of India.
Kumar promised to give demands for possible reciprocal market access for South African mangoes to India the attention they deserve. This programme gives Indian mango growers a chance to profit from foreign markets and is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal of doubling farmers' incomes.
Add Comment