India’s mango exports to the US grow, irradiation operations normalised after data error: Official

India’s mango exports to the US are growing and the irradiation operations at a key mango treatment facility in Mumbai have been normalised after a brief disruption due to a data recording error earlier this month, an official said Tuesday.

The Mumbai-based irradiation facility, which handles the highest volume of mangoes destined for the US, faced an issue during the irradiation process conducted on May 8 and 9, 2025 which led to the rejection of 12 mango consignments by American authorities due to discrepancies in treatment data.

“While the error and its cause are being examined at the senior level by the facility management, the mango irradiation process and its clearance were normalised at the impacted facility with effect from May 10, with no impact on the other two approved facilities,” said an official.

India’s mango exports to the US have risen 130% to $10.01 million in FY24 from $4.36 million in 2022-23.

The exports of mangoes to the US are done under the Cooperative Service Agreement between APEDA (Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

The actual procedure and the terms and conditions for operationalising mango exports come under the purview of the
Irradiation operational work plan signed between USDA-APHIS, the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO), under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and APEDA, as the Co-operator.

As per the work plan, procurement of mangoes is done from registered farms, which are then graded and sorted at APEDA and NPPO (National Plant Protection Organisation) recognised packhouses, then followed by fungicidal treatment of hot water and finally irradiated at USDA approved irradiation facilities, which are three, in the current year.

“All such treatment facilities have Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) addressing irradiation of commodities for the mitigation of plant pests,” the official said.

India contributes around 43% of global mango production. India is the sixth largest exporter of mangoes in the world with shipments rising 66% in the last four years to $60.14 million in FY 24 from $36.22 million in FY21.

India currently exports mangoes to 48 countries, with the UAE and the US being the top importers during April-February FY25.