India’s favourite summer delicacy has just crossed a new milestone. A 12.5-tonne shipment of Dashehari and Langra mangoes from Uttar Pradesh has reached Dubai by sea after a 25-day journey, with nearly 90% of the fruit remaining market-ready. The successful shipment could pave the way for cheaper and larger exports of Indian mangoes.The journey was made possible using a post-harvest protocol jointly developed by the ICAR–Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (ICAR-CISH), Lucknow, and the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). Ministry said that the technology could make mango exports more affordable by reducing dependence on expensive air freight.“This is the first successful commercial sea shipment of Dashehari and Langra mangoes from Uttar Pradesh to Dubai under an extended 25-day harvest-to-market transit period, demonstrating that premium Indian mangoes can now be exported economically through sea freight without compromising quality,” the ministry said in a statement.The successful trial is expected to encourage exporters to use sea freight for shipping fresh mangoes to the Gulf and other overseas markets. According to the ministry, the technology offers a more sustainable and cost-effective export route by lowering logistics costs while helping improve farmers’ incomes.Since transporting mangoes by sea is significantly cheaper than by air, exporters were able to pay growers better prices for their produce.“As a result, mango growers realised an additional income of approximately Rs 15–20 per kg over conventional export channels, significantly enhancing farm profitability while maintaining the competitiveness of Indian mangoes in international markets,” the ministry said.The ministry added that the protocol could accelerate commercial sea exports of mangoes not only from Uttar Pradesh but also from other mango-producing states. It is expected to open up more opportunities in the Gulf and other international markets while boosting export earnings, reducing logistics costs and improving farmers’ livelihoods.The consignment was exported by Shehnaz Export, Amroha, in partnership with Attashi Global, to Lulu Group, UAE, one of the Gulf region’s leading retail chains. ICAR-CISH provided the technical guidance, while APEDA facilitated the export.The mangoes were harvested on June 22 and processed using recommended scientific post-harvest practices. They were treated with METWASH, a shelf-life extension technology developed by ICAR-CISH, before being scientifically graded and packed at the Amroha Pack House. The consignment was then loaded into a 40-foot refrigerated container and shipped to Dubai under a continuous cold chain.According to the ministry, the shipment reached Dubai on July 17 after western disturbance-related disruptions extended the transit period to 25 days from harvest.“Despite the extended transit time, nearly 90 per cent of the mangoes were found to be in good marketable condition upon arrival, demonstrating the effectiveness of the technology,” the ministry said.
