New Delhi, June 25 (IANS) Indian mangoes have successfully reached Singapore through sea shipment, marking a significant milestone in expanding affordable and large-scale mango exports to international markets, it was announced on Thursday.

In a major breakthrough for India’s fresh fruit export sector, the success of this shipment is expected to facilitate the expansion of Indian mango exports to Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and other markets, where current imports are estimated at $4-5 million, while also creating opportunities in larger markets such as the UAE, valued at $20–25 million.

The development of cost-effective sea shipment protocols is expected to strengthen India’s mango export ecosystem, enhance farmers’ incomes, improve export competitiveness, and promote sustainable growth of the horticulture sector.

Indian mangoes are highly valued in Singapore for their superior taste, flavour, and quality, with varieties such as Banganappalli and Kesar enjoying strong consumer demand.

To make exports more economical and competitive, the ICAR-Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (ICAR-CISH), Lucknow, in collaboration with APEDA, developed a scientific sea shipment protocol for mango export, according to the Agriculture Ministry.

Under this initiative, a consignment of 4.3 tonnes of Banganappalli mangoes from Andhra Pradesh was exported to Singapore through a reefer container.

The sea route offers a substantial reduction in logistics costs, estimated at Rs 13–20 per kg, compared to Rs 150–250 per kg through air shipment, making exports more viable for producers and exporters while ensuring affordable prices for overseas consumers.

The protocol developed by ICAR-CISH integrates an end-to-end quality assurance system covering residue-free production, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), scientific harvesting, grading, packing, and post-harvest management.

The exported fruits underwent Hot Water Treatment (HWT) and CISH-Met Wash, an ICAR-CISH-developed technology that enhances shelf life, minimises disease incidence, and maintains fruit quality during long-distance transportation.

ICAR-CISH has successfully extended mango shelf life to up to 30 days under sea shipment conditions.

Earlier, the Commerce Ministry said that the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) had successfully facilitated the first commercial sea shipment of premium Banganapalle mangoes from India to Singapore.

The consignment, comprising 5 metric tonnes (MT) of Banganapalle mangoes, was exported by Osum Food Solutions on June 11 and arrived in Singapore on June 24. The successful shipment marks an important milestone in promoting cost-effective and sustainable export logistics for India’s horticultural produce while expanding market access for premium Indian mangoes. The ICAR–Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH), Lucknow, played a key role in making the exercise a success.

The mangoes were sourced from Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)-certified orchards in Andhra Pradesh and processed and packed at an APEDA-recognised packhouse in Karnataka. The entire consignment was handled in accordance with the quality and phytosanitary requirements prescribed by Singapore.

Upon arrival, the importer, EC-Links Pte Ltd, Singapore, reported excellent fruit quality, appreciating the mangoes for their sweetness, uniform ripening, shelf life and overall phytosanitary condition.

The consignment successfully met all import requirements, demonstrating the effectiveness of scientific post-harvest management practices and cold-chain logistics during sea transportation, the statement said.

The export also generated substantial economic benefits for farmers. While domestic market prices ranged between Rs 25 and Rs 26 per kilogram, the export consignment realised approximately Rs 50 per kilogram, nearly doubling farm-gate returns and creating enhanced value for growers.

The successful shipment highlights the growing viability of sea freight as a cost-effective, environmentally sustainable and commercially scalable mode of transport for fresh fruits. Supported by robust cold-chain infrastructure, scientific handling practices and efficient logistics management, maritime transport offers significant potential to strengthen the global competitiveness of Indian horticultural exports, the statement said.

Banganapalle, one of India’s most famous mango varieties, is prized for its golden-yellow colour, pleasant aroma, fibreless pulp and rich sweetness. The variety enjoys strong demand in international markets and offers considerable potential for further expansion of India’s mango exports.

APEDA has been actively promoting the use of sea freight for fresh fruit and vegetable exports through market development initiatives, infrastructure support and capacity-building measures for exporters to meet international quality standards. The successful shipment to Singapore is expected to encourage wider adoption of maritime transport for horticultural exports and further strengthen India’s reputation as a reliable supplier of high-quality agricultural products in global markets.

–IANS

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