NEW DELHI, India, May 18: US authorities have rejected 15 shipments of mangoes from India at several airports, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Atlanta, due to irregularities in the documentation. Exporters were left with two options: destroy the mangoes in the US or return them to India. Given the perishable nature of mangoes and the high cost of return shipping, all exporters chose to dispose of the fruit locally.

These rejections are significant, as the United States is the largest market for India's mango exports. Traders estimate a financial loss of around $500,000 due to the destruction or re-exportation of the mangoes.

The mangoes had undergone the mandatory irradiation treatment in Mumbai on May 8 and 9. However, US officials flagged discrepancies in the documentation required for this process. The irradiation treatment is necessary to eliminate pests and extend the shelf life of the fruit. A report by Economic Times revealed that US officials found issues with the PPQ203 form, which certifies the irradiation process. According to a notice from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to one affected exporter, the shipment was rejected due to an incorrectly issued PPQ203. The notice also specified that the mangoes must either be destroyed or sent back, with the US government refusing to cover any costs for remedial actions.

The irradiation treatment takes place at a facility in Navi Mumbai, supervised by a USDA representative who ensures that the PPQ203 form is accurately issued. One exporter expressed frustration, stating, "We are being penalized for mistakes made at the irradiation facility."

Another exporter, whose shipment was held at Los Angeles airport between May 9 and 11 before being ordered for destruction, also faced issues with the required irradiation treatment documentation. However, the exporter strongly denied the claim, asserting that the treatment was completed and the PPQ203 form issued afterward. "How could we receive the form if the treatment was never done? Without that form, issued by the USDA officer, the mangoes couldn't have been cleared for loading at Mumbai airport," the exporter explained.

When inquired about the details of the case, including the quantity of affected mangoes and the documentation errors, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Authority (APEDA) chairman's office responded that the issue relates to mango shipments from the USDA-approved Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB) facility in Vashi, Mumbai. APEDA, operating under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, referred the inquiry to MSAMB, but no response was received from the board.

The discrepancies in the documentation were reportedly due to administrative errors in the pest-control paperwork, rather than the presence of pests in the mango shipments.