Team Blitz India
MUMBAI: After a lean season of 2022-23, the Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB) has set a target of processing and exporting 5,000 tonne of mangoes from its facilities this season.
The Board is planning to export to developed nations like the US and Europe where realisation is better.
The mango season this year has started on a good note with farmers being hopeful of a good harvest due to favourable climate. Growers from the Konkan region are especially buoyant as the Karnataka orchards have reported severe moisture stress which can result in early end of the season.
Alphonso and Kesar from Maharashtra are prime export varieties. MSAMB’s export facility at Vashi has both Vapour Heat Treatment as well as irradiation facility necessary for exports to various countries.
The US phytosanitary inspector is expected to arrive soon, after which full-fledged exports to the US would start. The previous inspector, who was supervising the exports of pomegranates, had overseen the exports of 425 tonne of mangoes. Other than the US, MSAMB aims to populate the shelves of markets in Australia, Japan, United Kingdom, and countries of the European Union.
Indian mangoes, especially the likes of Alphonso of Konkan, Kesar from Marathwada as well as Gujarat are hot export material. While the bulk of mango exports go to the Gulf countries, most farmers and exporters aim for developed nations as the returns there are better.
Indian farmers grow mangoes in over 2.4 lakh hectares and as per estimates, this season 21.79 million tonne of mangoes would be produced. In the fiscal of 2022-23, India had exported 22,963.76 tonne of the fruit.
