India’s mango exports reach 45 countries; US shipments surpass last year’s total: APEDA chief

India’s mango exports reach 45 countries; US shipments surpass last year’s total: APEDA chiefCountry's mango exports have reached over 45 countries this season, with shipments to the United States already surpassing last year’s total volume, even before the season concludes, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) chairman Abhishek Dev said.Speaking to ANI, Dev said demand in the US market is rising strongly, adding that ‘exports to the US, the world’s largest mango importer, are on track to grow by more than 30 per cent this season based on current trends.’To strengthen overseas demand, APEDA has rolled out targeted promotional campaigns across major American cities, including Seattle, Los Angeles, Washington, New York and Atlanta.Dev also pointed to a wider global push, noting mango promotion drives were held in nearly 20 countries this year, including the Czech Republic, Malaysia, Spain, the UAE and Oman, and said India’s overall mango exports could double in the next one to two years on the back of the expanded outreach.According to APEDA, India’s agricultural and processed food exports touched $ 53 billion in the last financial year, keeping the country among the world’s top 10 agri-exporters despite global competition.Dev added that India’s export basket is becoming more diversified over the years. The number of products exported has increased from around 280 a decade ago to nearly 500 today, out of a possible 790 products listed under APEDA’s schedule.

On market access expansion, the chairman cited recent openings including Russia allowing Indian potatoes and pomegranates, Vietnam permitting Indian grapes, and Australia approving imports of Indian pomegranates.According to the official data, India’s mango production base remains strong, with about 1,000 varieties identified, though only a limited number are commercially cultivated due to agro-climatic requirements.Major producing states include Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, with Uttar Pradesh accounting for 26.75 per cent of production and leading productivity in 2023–24, while the United Arab Emirates, USA, UK, Kuwait and Qatar emerged as the major export destinations.