The embargo on importing Indian mangoes to the European Union, which was implemented in May 2014 after fruit flies were discovered in consignments, has been dissolved following a committee vote.
The European Commission is confident that India's mango-exportation system has improved to a satisfactory degree, and has said that Indian mangoes will be available again in Europe in March.
The UK, which is among member states the primary recipient of the fruits, had a seminal role in lobbying for the end of the import restriction. "We have been working closely with our Indian and European counterparts to resolve the issue as quickly as possible, and I am pleased that trade in mangoes will resume," its minister for the natural environment, Lord de Mauley, was quoted as saying on www.bbc.com.
"Today's decision demonstrates the marked improvements India has made to its export system, and it is important that these standards are maintained so that trade can continue and UK plant health remains protected," he added.
After Britain, the biggest European consumers of Indian mangoes are Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.
Following its unanimous vote, Brussels said, "India has also provided assurances that appropriate measures are now available to ensure that the exports of mango fruits are free from quarantine pest, like the fruit flies not known to occur in the Union."
The Indian mango season is late spring to early summer. Importation bans on Indian aubergines and two kinds of squash remain in place.
© 2014 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article written by Peter Donnelly.
