The Indian mango initiative is part of a national food promotion organised through the Indian High Commission and is supported by Apeda, India's export development authority. It began with an event at the Bombay Brassiere in London on May 9, which was attended by importers, supermarket buyers and the national and trade press. A consortium of 14 of India's top exporters and marketing organisations, in the UK for the new campaign, was on hand to discuss its aims.
Welcoming guests, DB Sabharwall said he believed the country could double its mango exports to the UK, which totalled approximately £518,000 in the 2000-01 season. He added that meetings had already taken place with Marks & Spencer and were planned with Sainsbury's and Tesco.
The yellow-skinned Alphonso is perhaps the best-known variety of Indian mango on the UK market. The promotion, which also features an Indian mango logo to build customer loyalty, hopes to awaken consumers to those such as Banganpalli, Suvarnarekha, Kesar, Chausa, Dusherhari and Langra.
Sabharwall said the new export licensing regime in India this year, and growers efforts to adopt integrated crop management and traceability systems, provide a solid backbone for export growth.
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