US rejects 15 mango shipments from India; exporters suffer $500,000 loss
New Delhi: At least 15 mango consignments from India have been rejected at various US airports, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Atlanta, after American authorities flagged documentation discrepancies, media reports said.
With the choice of either shipping the fruit back to India or destroying it in the US—and considering the highly perishable nature of mangoes—exporters opted for on-site destruction to avoid hefty freight costs, according to a Times of India report.
The United States is the largest overseas market for Indian mangoes, making the development a significant blow to exporters.
Traders estimate a collective loss of around $500,000 as a result of the rejections.
According to a report in The Economic Times, the mangoes had undergone the mandated irradiation treatment on May 8 and 9 at a facility in Navi Mumbai.
The process, which involves exposing the fruit to controlled doses of radiation to eliminate pests and extend shelf life, is overseen by a representative of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) stationed at the facility.
However, US officials reportedly found inconsistencies in the pest-control documentation—specifically in the PPQ203 form required for entry—despite no indication of any actual pest infestation.
One exporter who received a communication from the USDA said the shipment was denied entry because of an "incorrectly issued PPQ203" form.
The USDA further clarified that the consignment must be either re-exported or destroyed, and that the US government would not bear the cost of any remedial measures.
Exporters expressed frustration, arguing that they were being penalised for clerical mistakes made at the irradiation facility.
“We are being penalised for mistakes made at the irradiation facility,” one exporter said. Another whose consignment was held at Los Angeles airport between May 9 and 11 said they were told the fruit failed to meet the irradiation requirement, a charge he rejected outright.
“The irradiation treatment was completed, and the PPQ203 was issued only afterward by the USDA officer. Without that document, the mangoes wouldn’t even have cleared Mumbai airport for export,” he said.
When approached for clarity, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), which operates under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said the matter pertained to mangoes treated at the Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB)-run USDA-approved facility in Vashi, Mumbai, and suggested the MSAMB be contacted for further details, the report said, adding that the marketing board did not respond to an email query.
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