Japan has formally lifted a 20-year ban on import of Indian mangoes. The Japanese ministry of agriculture, forestry and fisheries has communicated this decision to the Indian government, an official release said.
Japan formally lifted the ban on Friday on request by the Indian side, after confirming that there was no risk of infiltration of diseases and pests as scientific and technical examinations would be conducted before export and also after getting acceptance through procedures like public hearing and public comments, the Japanese agriculture ministry said in its communication to the Indian government.
The mango varieties that will be imported by Japan would be Alphonso, Banganapalli, Kesar, Langra, Chausa and Malika which are grown in pre-identified areas of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath welcomed the move and said it marked a major step forward in securing access to an important market for an important Indian agricultural product. Nath had sought lifting of the ban during his visit to Japan last week.
He first took up the issue of market access for Indian mangoes with Nakagawa, the Japanese minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries in August 2004 and again during his visit to Tokyo in 2005 when he invited Japanese quarantine authorities to visit India for on-site tests and inspections.
A Japanese technical team had visited India earlier in 2006. The team was satisfied with the results and agreed to move ahead with the process to lift the ban.
Japan had imposed a ban on the import of Indian mangoes in 1986 because of suspected pest infestation by fruit flies.
