India resumes mango exports to the US, Japan and South Korea after two years

India resumed mango exports to the US after a pandemic-induced two-year gap. More than 1,000 tonne of alphonso, kesar and other varieties of mangoes have been shipped recently, trade sources said. India also exported mangoes to Japan for the first time while shipment to South Korea resumed after two years. Officials told Financial Express that in the current year, alphonso and kesar mangoes from India have been sold in the US market at a premium of $9 and $7 per kg, respectively, compared to $3 to $4 a kg realised from mangoes sourced from other countries. The exports of mangoes were halted in 2020 and 2021 as inspectors from the US department of agriculture (USDA) could not visit India for inspection of irradiation facilities due to travel restrictions because of Covid19. Mangoes exported to the US undergo an irradiation process, where fruit is exposed to gamma radiation, which kills insects or pesticides inside the fruit. Agricultural and Processed Food Products Development ...