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Mango road show in Tokyo, New York
Agricultural & Processed Foods Exports Development Authority (APEDA) will hold the first-ever road show in US and Japan to popularise mangoes, reports Chitrangada Choudhury.
Following the opening up of premium markets in the US and Japan this mango season, the Agricultural & Processed Foods Exports Development Authority (APEDA) will hold the first-ever road show in the two countries to popularise the king of fruits.
The promotional tour of around seven commercial varieties of mangoes will be conducted by a team, comprising exporters, farmers and officials, from May 23 to early June in Tokyo and New York. "We will target consumers in restaurants and reputed departmental stores through our embassies to facilitate markets for the farmers. Both of these markets pay better prices," said APEDA Director S Dave.
India exports about 45,000 tonnes of mangoes every year. But in terms of value, the exports, largely to West Asia, are only about Rs 85-90 crores.
US is the world's biggest mango importer, with 39 per cent, and hence on the radar of the Indian mango farmers who are watching its market deregulate.
In the closing weeks of April, the first batch of Alphonsos from the Konkan region was dispatched to the US. Japanese exporters are already selling the variety to restaurants and shops in this season, and are now scouting farms in southern Maharashtra that grow the kesar variety.
APEDA officials added that increasing exports to markets such as the US and Japan with stringent production norms, would automatically help open up newer markets elsewhere such as in China and Australia.
3-day fest to celebrate mango tourism
The Maharashtra Tourism Department will host a three-day mango toursim festival in Ratnagiri to attract tourists to the land of alphonsos. The festival, from May 11 to 13, will offer tourists package tours and sightseeing, besides a variety of programmes like food festival, mango exhibition, beach volley ball among others. The local administration has also lined up cultural programmes, such as classical Hindustani recitals, film festival for children, traditional folk dances.
