India gains market access for mango exports to South Africa

INDIA – India has received official clearance to export a variety of mangoes to South Africa, marking a major milestone for Indian mango growers and exporters.

This announcement was made by Simmi Unnikrishnan, Assistant General Manager of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) of India, during the ‘Bharat Mango Utsav 2024’ event at the Indian Consulate.

Addressing local traders and media, Unnikrishnan stated, “We received market access for mangoes last year and have now flagged off 1.5 metric tons of mangoes from Gujarat to South Africa.”

The event featured a variety of Indian mangoes, including Alfonso, Totapuri, Rajapuri, Badami, Kesar, and Neelam, offering guests a taste of the exotic fruit.

India is the world’s largest mango producer, accounting for 50% of global production. South Africa contributes 17% to the world’s mango supply.

Unnikrishnan appealed to local traders to help import and popularize Indian mangoes in South Africa. She noted the challenges in securing permission from the South African government, highlighting the necessary analyses and irradiation treatment required for the mangoes.

Consul General Mahesh Kumar emphasized the effort behind gaining market access, stating, “A lot of effort has gone into getting this market access. If we can import it and familiarize people, we will have data next year about potential sales in the South African market.”

Kumar believes this will allow South Africans to enjoy mangoes year-round due to the opposite growing seasons in India and South Africa.

Pranav Khattar, a leading distributor of Indian food products in South Africa, expressed his satisfaction with the new import permissions.

“We are very happy that mangoes are now officially allowed. Mango is so famous all over the world, not only in India,” he said.

Khattar plans to discuss duty and VAT details with the South African government to start imports in the next season.

He anticipates high demand for Indian mangoes in neighboring states with significant Indian expat communities, such as Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Khattar also mentioned the availability of Indian mango pulp in South Africa for many years, commonly used in Indian restaurants for mango juice or lassi. He believes that once details about freight costs, taxes, and related matters are sorted, Indian mangoes will be competitive with local varieties.

“India’s Kesar and Alfonso mangoes will likely be in the range of Heidi mangoes here, which is the most expensive grown in South Africa,” he added.

Unnikrishnan plans to provide potential South African importers with details of Indian exporters from mango-producing states, facilitating direct agreements.

Kumar assured that if South Africa seeks market access for its mangoes to India, it would receive due attention.

“This market access benefits our farmers,” Kumar said. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised to double the income of every farmer, so it would be nice for our mango growers to also benefit from this market.”

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