New Delhi, Jan 21 (KNN)  Following endorsement by experts, the European Commission has decided to lift the import ban of mangoes from India.

“A proposal by the Commission to lift the import ban of mango fruits from India was today endorsed by Member State experts meeting at the relevant Regulatory Committee concerned with Plant Health,” an official release said on Tuesday.

The import into the EU territory of certain fruits and vegetables such as Colocasia (Arbi), mango, bitter gourd, eggplant and snake gourd from India was prohibited last April due to a high number of consignments intercepted at arrival in the EU infested with quarantine pests, mainly insects, not known to occur in the Union which may establish and threaten the European productions.

However, an audit carried out by the Commission’s Food and Veterinary Office in India in September 2014 showed significant improvements in the phytosanitary export certification system.

India has also provided assurances that appropriate measures are now available to ensure that the exports of mango fruits are free from quarantine pest, like the fruit flies not known to occur in the Union.

The measures will allow the import of mango fruits before the start of the next import season in March 2015. At later stage, when more evidence is collected regarding the Indian phytosanitary certification, the prohibition of the vegetables will be reviewed, the release said.   (KNN/ES)