New Delhi, July 18 (KNN) For the first time ever, a trial shipment consisting 10 tonnes of mangoes was exported from Uttar Pradesh to Italy through sea. Before this the exports of mangoes from UP were made by air. The cost to export from sea is Rs 28 per kilogram while that to export via air is Rs 120 per kilogram.

The move aims to promote exports from North India. Chausa, a North Indian mango variety of mango was exported by sea on 15th July, 2019 from the Uttar Pradesh Mandi Parishad Pack House, Malihabad, Lucknow to Italy via Spain.

The shipment was financially supported by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.

The trial shipment was flagged off by Director, UP Mandi Parishad, R K Pandey, and AGM APEDA, Dr. C B Singh in the presence of officers from different departments. The shipment is the result of the first international Reverse Buyer-Seller Meet (RBSM) organized in Lucknow on 26 and 27 June, 2019 by APEDA.

The consignment sent from Lucknow to Pipavav Port, Gujarat, by road through the reefer container, will reach Italy via Spain. The total voyage time will be approximately 20-22 days from Lucknow to Italy, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry said in a release today.

Generally, mangoes are exported from Uttar Pradesh by air and costs are high for goods to be transported from Lucknow to Europe, said the Ministry adding that due to this problem, despite having good quality mangoes, limited flights available from Lucknow and high rates of air freight makes exports of mangoes from UP expensive.

Exporting mangoes to Europe by sea costs Rs. 28 per kilogram, while airfreight costs Rs. 120 per kilogram.

India’s agricultural exports from hinterland areas is limited due to structural challenges in cold chain logistics. To overcome this problem, new scientific techniques are being used by exporters to improve shelf life of mangoes, said the Ministry.