India tempts oversees markets with mango delights By Lola Nayar, Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi, May 16 (IANS) India is promising to make the summer sweeter in overseas markets, especially across the Middle East, with a larger variety of mangoes in its export basket. India is using around 15 tonnes of mangoes and its delightful derivates under a Rs.1 million promotion scheme to tempt consumers in five countries and their neighbouring markets to try out varieties besides the popular alphonso. With an annual yield of around 10 million tonnes, India accounts for over half the global mango production of about 19 million tonnes. But while around 11,000 varieties of mangoes are found in this country, only 20 have commercial value, trade experts say. The idea behind the promotion scheme of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority in cooperation with leading mango exporters is to extend the exporting season beyond the two months when the few popular varieties like alphonso from Maharashtra are in plentiful supply. The promotion began in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with 15 exporters targeting the whole of the Middle East market, which accounts for the largest chunk of mango exports. Dubai is the re-export hub for Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and other Middle East countries. Last week consumers in Britain and Malaysia got a chance to sample tonnes of fresh Indian mangoes, mango pulp, jelly, confectionery and other processed foods displayed at special corners in key shopping centres and special mango dessert served free in select restaurants. The last leg of the promotion started Thursday in Germany and Hong Kong, with some south Indian varieties like kesar, banganapalli, totapuri, swarnarekha and rajapuri sharing shelf space with popular north Indian varieties like dussheri, chausa and langara, which hit the markets in May. "The objective of the promotion through special buyer meets is to make the overseas markets aware about the large varieties of commercially grown mangoes, which could be supplied right from March to August," said a senior official of the export authority. "At present, the bulk of our fresh mango exports are from March-May, after which in the Middle East we face major competition from Pakistan once their sindri mangoes start arriving," said the official. In Europe, Indian mangoes face competition from low priced varieties from the Caribbean and Latin American countries while Australia, Thailand, the Philippines and Pakistan are the major competitors in Southeast Asia. Mexico is the major supplier to the U.S., which does not import fresh mangoes from India. "As the logistical cost of exports to the U.S. works out to Rs.125 per kg, it is not feasible to be competitive in the case of fresh mangoes. India is, however, exporting around 250,000 tonnes of mango pulp to the U.S.," a leading exporter said. Through the special promotion and use of modernised reefer for more economic sea transport, India is banking on a 20-25 percent jump in exports from a 45,000-tonne average in the last three years to 60,000 tonnes. The response to the promotion can be gauged from the fact that despite costing 1.5 pounds for one mango, a major Mumbai-based exporter has bagged an order for exporting 10 tonnes of mangoes daily to Britain. Indian fresh mango exports are currently to the tune of Rs.750 million and are expected to go up to Rs.100 million. Export of value added mango products is expected to rise from Rs.3 billion to Rs.4 billion. To make up for a drop in mango production this year, India is paying more emphasis on pre-harvest management in its six mango agriculture export zones that have brought under their wing the 20 major mango clusters in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. "Through better pre-harvest management, we hope to reduce the annual 30 percent post-harvest losses and improve the quality of our products," said the export authority official. --Indo-Asian News Service =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-W-E-B---S-I-T-E-=-=-= To Subscribe/Unsubscribe from GoaNet | http://www.goacom.com/goanet =================================================================== For (un)subscribing or for help, Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dont want so many e=mails? Join GoaNet-Digest instead ! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Help support non-commercial projects in Goa by advertizing!! * * * * Your ad here !!
