"Since the news about the possibility of import of Indian mangoes to the US appeared, we have been getting frequent queries from speciality grocery stores as well as transporters," spokesperson of the United States Indian Business Council told PTI in an e-mailed statement.
The spokesperson said although US consumers were relatively unfamiliar to mangoes, in recent years the fruit was getting popular, following import from mainly Mexico.
As a result, the Mexican variety of mango dominated the US market which has a size of 2.5 lakh tonne per annum.
"Mexican mangoes do not compare in terms of sweetness and varieties offered by the Indian mangoes," the spokesperson however said. USIBC has been steadily building up a case for allowing import of Indian mangoes to the US in recent years.
As part of the same exercise the Council planned to organise the first-ever 'Indian Mango Tasting Festival' at its Global India Summit to be held during the 32nd anniversary at Washington from June 27.
Union Commerce minister Kamal Nath along with a number of important names of Indian business including Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani, FICCI president Hari Khorakivala and Tarun Das of CIL, are scheduled to attend the summit.
A business delegation from West Bengal led by Industry minister Nirupam Sen would also attend the summit.
When an American business delegation led by USIBC President Ron Somers had last month called on West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, he had made a special request to them to work on allowing import of Indian mangoes to the United States.
Indian mangoes have never been allowed to be exported to the US because they have not undergone pest risk analysis. A major breakthrough was achieved last year when an agreement was signed between the US Department of Agriculture and the Indian Department of Agriculture and Co-operation to resolve a 17-year old trade dispute on potential pests and disease.
It agreed on a framework outlining fundamental requirements for bilateral trade of commodities treated by irradiation.
The USIBC spokesperson said that subsequently, the US Department of Commerce and the Department of Agriculture have been actively clearing the way for Indian mango import this season.
The Council's member companies have been spearheading private sector lobbying to ensure that the import of Indian mangoes was allowed this season beginning in a month now.
