Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : In a bid to increase mangoes exports to South Korea, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), in collaboration with Indian embassy, Seoul, and Indian Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ICCK), organised a Virtual Buyer Seller Meet (VBSM) on May 20, 2021. Senior officials from APEDA, Embassy of India, ICCK, exporters from India and importers from South Korea participated at the VBSM.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the export promotion programmes were not possible to be organised physically. APEDA took a lead to organise Virtual BSM to provide a platform to the exporters and importers of mangoes from India and South Korea.
Earlier this month, for the first time in this season, India shipped a consignment of 2.5 Metric Tonne (MTs) of Geographical Indication (GI) certified Banganapalli & other variety Survarnarekha mangoes sourced from farmers in Krishna & Chittor districts of Andhra Pradesh, according to a PIB release. The mangoes exported to South Korea were treated, cleaned & shipped from the APEDA assisted and registered packhouse and vapor heat treatment facility at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, and exported by IFFCO Kisan SEZ (IKSEZ).
This was the first export consignment sent by IKSEZ, which is a subsidiary of IFFCO, a multi-state cooperative with a membership of 36,000 societies. There is possibility of more exports of mangoes to South Korea this season. IFFCO Kisan SEZ has an agreement with Meejaim, South Korea, for supplying 66 MTs of mango this season. Andhra Pradesh horticulture department also collaborated in this endeavour.
The mangoes to South Korea were processed at A P Agros Integrated Packhouse & VHT System, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, and the unit is financially assisted by APEDA for facilitating the fresh fruits and vegetable exports from the region. Nearly 400 MTs of fresh fruits and vegetables has been exported from the pack house. It caters to the southern states for export of horticulture produce for export to European Union and non-EU countries. In the current season, 30 MTs of mangoes have been exported to EU, UK Ireland, middle east countries, etc.
Mango in India is also referred as ‘king of fruits’ and referred 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 major share in 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. Mangoes are processed by the APEDA registered packhouse facilities and then exported to various regions and countries including middle east, European Union, USA, Japan and South Korea.