EU could lift Indian mango ban 'early next year', say industry reps - FreshFruitPortal.com

EU could lift Indian mango ban 'early next year', say industry reps

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EU could lift Indian mango ban 'early next year', say industry reps

Indian authorities are feeling more optimistic than ever the EU ban on mango imports will be lifted 'sooner rather than later' following positive indications from European food safety officials.Ā mango_65889349

In conversations with various Indian mango experts, www.freshfruitportal.com has learned that a report is being drafted into the improvements made in the sector's growing practices, cultivation techniques, pre and post-harvest treatments, packing methods and shipping procedures.

According to sources, 'massive progress' has been made in terms of food safety issues and cultivation techniques, particularly with regards to stamping out the fruit fly.

The European Commission announced the ban in March, citing serious safety concerns over contaminated consignments from India. Two types of gourd, eggplant, and the taro plant were also placed under restriction.

The ban is currently in place until Dec. 31, 2015.

A source from the Export Inspection Council of India told www.freshfruitportal.comĀ the ban could be lifted as early as next January or February.

"We are receiving positive feedback from European officials. They have been here several times now and have seen firsthand all of the improvements," he said.

"The word is that the ban could be lifted early next year. We are all looking forward to the end of this and want Europeans to enjoy the delicious Indian mango again."

Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) fruits and horticultural technology division head Anand Kumar Singh was also very optimistic and said the progress being made within the sector was clearly visible.

"The latest information I have is that they [the EC] are quite happy and the likelihood is that the ban is going to be cleared next year and we can export again," he said.

"I haven't got a timeline but all the feedback has been very good and it continues to be good.

"The way things are going on and the remarks that have been made lead us to believe officials are happy and everything will go back to normal."

SinghĀ went on to explain how farmers and employees involved in the trading of mango had been trained to adopt a 'zero tolerance' policy on fruit fly.

"There continues to be a large education program all over the main mango growing regions of Indian to make it clear that there can be no contamination issues and how important it is to get rid of this problem at field level as well as covering all the general sanitary and phytosanitary measures," he said.

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