For all the desis in America, the thought of an impending summer season also brings along plans of an essential de rigueur – making the rounds of South Asian grocery stores to procure the fabled mangoes from the Indian subcontinent.
This year, after the brutal pandemic induced restrictions comes a sweet treat in the form of sunny mangoes from India which would be available readily since the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has given approval to India to export mangoes to America.
It may be noted that since 2020, the US had restricted the import of Indian mangoes as due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, USDA inspectors were unable to travel down to India to inspect the fruit – an important step before the US allows import of mangoes in its country.
The USDA approval would essentially mean that India would be able to export mangoes from its famed mango regions such as Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
A lot of desi store owners who stock mangoes in the United States share that often consumers come looking for specific types of Indian mangoes like chausa, dussheri, langara or sindoori as they have grown up eating these mangoes or hail from the famous mango production belts in India.
With the new development, procuring popular varieties of mangoes from India will be possible for importers. The approval came during the US Trade Policy Forum (TPF) meeting where the US and India signed an agreement to follow a joint protocol on irradiation for India’s mango and pomegranate exports.
India will be exporting mangoes to the US in the current mango season beginning with the Alphonso variety. New Jersey based Krishna Kant, an Indian American HR professional says, “This is great news.”
“Of all the memories from India, the memories of devouring the sweetest, fleshiest mangoes back home in India bring a smile to all Indians.” he says. “I am looking forward to piling up boxes of Indian mangoes in my car and taking them to my family in New Jersey and Connecticut.”
While Indian mangoes continue to be in high demand in the United States, mango traders see America as a market with an even bigger potential. In 2019-20 $4.35 million worth of mangoes were exported to USA, nearly 20% up from $3.63 million in 2018-19.
0 Comments