
Exporters feel that it is very expensive to export fruits and vegetable to Japan as they require Vapour Heat Treatment. Vapour heat treatment is a quarantine process that does not use any chemicals but hot saturated water vapour to sterilise fruit like mangoes and papaya. During this process temperature and humidity are strictly controlled so fruit remains naturally fresh and undamaged. Importing countries like Japan insist on vapour heat treatment as they do not want the flora in their country to get infested with pests such as eggs and larvae of Melon flies and oriental fruit flies as they do not have these infestations in their country.
Since the quarantine and sterilisation treatment is expensive mango exports to Japan were limited but now exporters are showing a keen interest for this far away market. To encourage exports Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) had set up some vapour heat treatment facilities in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. Japanese inspectors who had not been called to India since the last two years to oversee the vapour heat treatment would be invited. To help Indian mango exporters APEDA has also decided to bear 90% of the expenses incurred for stationing of quarantine inspectors in India for three years (2015-17). Japanese inspectors will provide the certificates for clearance for export.
However, Indian exporters who sign the deal have to supply at least 50 to 70 metric tons of mangoes in 2015 and 100MT in 2016 and another 50 more so mango exports to Japan would be 150MT by 2017. Once Indian exporters have entered the agreement they cannot back out of it. Japan is currently only accepting the Alphonso, Kesar, Banganpalli, Langra, Chaunsa and Mallika varieties cultivated in either Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh or West Bengal.
About APEDA
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, APEDA works to ensure that agricultural produce reaches the desired destination in a good condition and with the least wastage of produce. They also access new markets where agricultural produce can be exported. They have worked incessantly and has been able to get entry in inaccessible markets such as mango to USA, Japan, Australia and China; grapes and bitter gourd to China, basmati rice to Japan, Mexico and China; mango products to Mexico, livestock products to Algeria, Syria, Egypt, Morocco.
Since packaging is an integral part of export APEDA has worked to develop packaging standards and specifications for various fruits, vegetables, cut flowers etc. so that products are delivered in good condition. Exporters using packaging of these standards and specifications are also given financial assistance to the tune of a maximum of Rs. 5 lakhs per annum.
Since Food Safety is a primary concern in international trade APEDA has worked to address concerns of food safety and traceability shown by importing countries, APEDA has introduced traceability system for export of grapes to the EU countries via GrapeNet, pomegranates to EU via AnarNet and organic products via TraceNet. It provides financial assistance to exporters for implementation of food safety standards in various sectors such as meat, poultry and dairy manufacturing units, units manufacturing mango pulp, pickles, dehydrated products etc.
APEDA has also introduced a stringent system for recognition of export testing laboratories (23 at present), which has helped in upgrading their testing capabilities in terms of human skills and testing infrastructure.
Agri Export Zones (AEZs) for fruits and vegetables are set up by APEDA. AEZs make it feasible to channelize and provide assistance in a converged fashion for the overall development of supply and value chain of the identified produce. APEDA organizes international trade fairs which offer opportunity to the participants to get exposure and access to business channels overseas where they get the advantage of business opportunities.
APEDA’s Integrated Training Programme is already being implemented for Alphonso mangoes from Ratnagiri and Kesar mangoes from Aurangabad. Other selected horticultural produce for this training programme are grapes and litchis in selected regions. Besides the vapour heat treatment plants that it has set up, APEDA has also initiated experiments of Controlled Atmosphere containers for the sea transportation of mangoes to various countries.
APEDA provides financial assistance to exporters for packaging and infrastructure development
- Pack houses, pre-cooling facilities, reefer vans etc.
- Brand publicity through advertisement
- Purchase of laboratory testing equipment
- Implementation of quality systems
sahil khan says
i m strt busns fruts india to japan n othre country
Ranjit says
We own a mango orchard. I wish to export mangoes. But before exporting quality testing is important. How to & where to test quality of mangoes inform me.