India has expanded its mango exports to the newer countries this season, notwithstanding logistical challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. In a significant initiative that would boost mango export potential from the eastern region, especially to middle east countries, a consignment of Geographical Identification (GI) certified Fazil mango variety sourced from Malda district of West Bengal was exported recently to Bahrain. APEDA exported the consignment of Fazil mango registered DM enterprises, Kolkata, and imported by Al Jazira Group, Bahrain.
APEDA has been initiating measures to boost mango exports from non-traditional regions and states. It has been conducting virtual buyer-seller meets and festivals to promote mango exports. This shipment to Bahrain comes a few days after APEDA organized a mango promotion program at Doha, Qatar. Nine varieties of mangoes, including GI certified from West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, were displayed at the stores of importer Family Food Centre.
The nine varieties which were exported includes GI certified Khirsapati (Malda, West Bengal), Lakkhanbhog (Malda, West Bengal), Fazli (Malda, West Bengal), Dusshheri (Malihabad, Uttar Pradesh), and Amrapali and Chausa (Malda, West Bengal) and Langda (Nadiya, West Bengal).
In June 2021, a week-long Indian mango promotion program was organized in Bahrain where 16 varieties of the fruit, including three GI-certified Khirsapati and Lakshmanbhog (West Bengal), Zardalu (Bihar) were displayed.
The varieties of mangoes were sold through 13 stores of the group in Bahrain. The mangoes were sourced from farmers in Bengal and Bihar by APEDA registered exporters.
APEDA has been conducting virtual buyer-seller meets and festivals to promote mango exports. It recently organized a mango festival in Berlin, Germany.
For the first time this season, India has shipped a consignment of 2.5 Metric Ton (MTs) of GI-certified Banganapalli and other variety Survarnarekha mangoes sourced from farmers in Krishna and Chittor districts of Andhra Pradesh recently.
Mango in India is also referred to as ‘king of fruits’ and referred to as Kalpavriksha (wish-granting tree) in ancient scriptures. While most of the states in India have mango plantations, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka have a significant share in the total production of the fruit. Alphonso, Kesar, Totapuri and Banganpalli are leading export varieties from India. Mango exports primarily take place in three forms: fresh mango, mango pulp, and mango slice.