AGRA: The king of fruits is now a seafarer. With the pandemic pushing up air freight charges, mango exporters from Uttar Pradesh will send consignments of Dussehri, Langra and Saroli – popular mango varieties in the Gulf – via sea for the first time.
On Wednesday, the first shipment of 26 tonnes of mangoes left Lucknow for Gujarat port. It will leave Indian shores for Oman four days later. For the delicate fruit, it will be a seven-day journey covering several hundred nautical miles. To ensure the varieties maintain the quality, aroma and the sweet-tangy taste that they are known for, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture has lent technical support.
A senior official from the Agriculture & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), a government body that focuses on transport of major exports, said the UP government and the Centre are working together to provide logistical aid to mango exporters so that exports from UP can gain international footprint.
The senior official said, “We are using reefer containers that can slow down the ripening of the fruit to prevent spoilage. Mangoes have to be stored in special containers at temperatures not less than 10 degrees Celsius.”
Nadeem Siddiqui, president of the Mango Export Association of UP, said the decision to export via sea was taken this month since air freight has nearly tripled.
On Wednesday, the first shipment of 26 tonnes of mangoes left Lucknow for Gujarat port. It will leave Indian shores for Oman four days later. For the delicate fruit, it will be a seven-day journey covering several hundred nautical miles. To ensure the varieties maintain the quality, aroma and the sweet-tangy taste that they are known for, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture has lent technical support.
A senior official from the Agriculture & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), a government body that focuses on transport of major exports, said the UP government and the Centre are working together to provide logistical aid to mango exporters so that exports from UP can gain international footprint.
The senior official said, “We are using reefer containers that can slow down the ripening of the fruit to prevent spoilage. Mangoes have to be stored in special containers at temperatures not less than 10 degrees Celsius.”
Nadeem Siddiqui, president of the Mango Export Association of UP, said the decision to export via sea was taken this month since air freight has nearly tripled.
