Why did US reject 25 MT of mangoes? India alleges inspection lapse

India alleges US inspectors bypassed protocol during mango inspections, leading to destruction of 25 MT fruit and loss of $500,000 for exporters

India has raised concerns over the rejection of 15 mango consignments by the United States, alleging that American inspectors failed to follow standard inspection protocols. The procedural lapse reportedly led exporters to destroy mango shipments, causing considerable financial losses, according to a report by The Economic Times.

 

Due to the perishable nature of mangoes and the high cost of returning shipments, exporters chose to destroy the rejected fruit, resulting in an estimated loss of $500,000 (₹4.2 crore),

 

The Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB), which operates one of the key irradiation facilities for mango exports in Mumbai, said on Tuesday: "Instead of discussing the matter with relevant agencies or notifying the facility beforehand, they (the inspectors) directly reported the alleged issues to their senior offices in the US, resulting in the rejection of the 15 consignments."

 

 

US-bound shipments destroyed over documentation issues

 

The rejected consignments — amounting to 25 metric tonnes from 10 exporters — had undergone irradiation at the MSAMB facility on May 8 and 9. According to MSAMB, the issue could have been resolved had the inspectors raised concerns with facility officials before issuing the necessary clearance document, PPQ203, required for mango exports to the US.   

 

  Reports suggest that the affected shipments were held up at major US entry points, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Atlanta. The fruits had undergone mandatory irradiation, a pest elimination procedure monitored by a USDA-appointed inspector at the Navi Mumbai facility.

 

Exports resume despite inspection setback

 

Dosimeter readings — used to track radiation exposure levels—were not properly documented by facility staff during the inspection process, The Times of India reported.

 

Despite the temporary setback, operations at the Mumbai irradiation facility have resumed.

 

Between May 11 and May 18, mango exports from the Mumbai facility bounced back, with 53,072 boxes — equivalent to 185.75 metric tonnes — shipped to the US across 39 consignments, MSAMB reported.

 

India currently uses three USDA-approved irradiation facilities for exporting mangoes to the United States, located in Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Ahmedabad.

 

Indian mango exports to US on the rise

 

Despite the recent setback, Indian mango exports to the US have been expanding rapidly. In FY24, export value surged by 130 per cent to $10 million, compared to $4.36 million the previous year. Mango varieties such as Alphonso, Kesar, Banganapalli, and Himayat have already secured market access in the US, along with North Indian varieties like Raspuri, Langra, Chausa, and Dasheri, which are also cleared for irradiation treatment. 

 

Governance framework behind mango exports

 

India’s mango export operations to the US are conducted under a Cooperative Service Agreement between the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

 

The procedures are guided by an Irradiation Operational Work Plan, jointly developed by USDA-APHIS, India’s National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) under the Ministry of Agriculture, and APEDA. The protocol involves sourcing mangoes from registered farms, processing them at APEDA- and NPPO-certified packhouses, treating them with hot water and fungicide, and finally irradiating them at USDA-certified facilities.