Not only mango lovers but exporters too are staring at a dull season this year. With production in the major mango producing states down by about 50%, prices in the domestic market are already high, and exports are also likely to be muted this season.

According to Abhijeet Bhasale, managing director of Pune-based import-export house Rainbow International that is also engaged in online retailing of mangoes through mangowale.com, “ Production in the major mango producing states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are down by almost 50%. This would impact the availability of mangoes in the domestic market, and also impact exports.”

Distributors and traders point out that regions like Andhra have been hit severely during the Hudhud cyclone in October last year, followed by the unseasonal rains at the onset of summer this year. The region is left with 25-30% of its normal production which is estimated to be around 200,000 tonne per year.

Similarly, in Gujarat, which exports the kesar variety of mangoes, exporters say that usually export inquiries start by mid-April, however, this year, only a handful of exporters have received queries.

“Gujarat has no Agricultural Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda) approved mango packaging facility. That is also a drawback for Gujarat”, said Harsukh Zarsaniya, secretary of Talala Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC).

Quality is also an issue for lower interest in mango exports this year, allege traders. This year, the weather conditions were not very favourable for the mango crop between January to April. Unseasonal rains in many mango growing areas across Gujarat have damaged the mango fruits badly.

“Quality is a major issue this time. Quality is not matching export criteria. However, we are waiting for regular arrivals in the market,” said Sanjay Vekaria, mango grower and trader from Gir area of Gujarat.

Talala APMC is the largest place in Gujarat for mango auction, especially for the kesar variety. Auction here is expected to start from May 19, late by almost 20 days compared to last year. Traders expect that prices of the kesar variety will be around Rs 450 per 10 kg box, higher by nearly Rs 150 a box from last year.

The Apeda, however, is not panicking. Sudhanshu, regional in-charge, western, Apeda said, “Exports to the European Union have started from March 24. It has been low at around 3 tonnes per day. However, we are awaiting a new hot water treatment facility at Goregaon, being set up by Apeda, that will be operational within a week. Exports to the EU would pick up after that.”

Hot water treatment is a post harvest requirement to export to the EU. Bhasale alleges that despite the EU writing to the Indian government sometime around December, it took time for the final guidelines for exports to come about. “The government issued the guidelines around March, and many exporters are not ready with the preparations,” he said.

For that matter, mango exports from India have been plunging in the last few years. It stood at 41,280 tonne in 2013-14 from 55,585 tonne in 2012-13 and 63,441 tonne in 2011-12. In value terms, the exports rose to $50.55 million in 2013-14 from $48.54 million and $43.73 million in 2012-13 and 2011-12, respectively. Production of mangoes last year stood at 18.43 million tonne.

Source:business-standard.com